Chandelier
by Sinful Serenata
Summary: "Life doesn't stop after the death of a loved one; it only ignites, and I'm along for the ride. They say that everything happens for a reason. I never anticipated any of this, though..." VenKai. Pregnancy and mature themes. Cover photo credit goes to TwilightIsn'tLiterature!
1. One

**A/N: **Welcome to my newest fic! This doesn't mean I will abandon Heart Station. Please, as always, read this story with an open mind. You know SoKai is my OTP, but Ven is my second favorite character! I've also been working on longer chapters, so expect those as well!

So enjoy, and I do hope that you leave a **review **for me.

On with the story!

o-o-o

_**One. **_

o-o-o

_Ventus' POV._

This was not ideal.

Why am I here?

I sat in a corner and stared off into the distance. Music blared and the neo-lights were giving me a headache. I felt cramped and extremely out of place. My friends, Axel and Terra had gone off to the dance floor, frivolously waving their alcoholic beverages highly in the air, oblivious to the consequences of their actions as they danced around in a drunken stupor. Several intoxicated girls surrounded them, doing all sorts of inappropriate things as they swung their hair everywhere and moved out of rhythm with the music. It was Axel's birthday, and he wanted to "live it up."

I'm way too old for this.

I guess I'll introduce myself. My name is Ventus, but most people call me Ven. I'm on the brink of my thirties and I normally like to sit at home and watch historical documentaries. That may sound boring, but I was always fascinated by the subject, so much that for the past three years, I have been teaching World History II at the University. It was obviously my dream job and I couldn't be happier. The first week of the new semester had already passed, and now I was just spending my weekend, unwillingly, here in this nightclub. Lame, right? I also had other hobbies, like reading Marvel comics and sewing costumes for various conventions, but I normally didn't have time between grading papers and everything else that I had to accomplish. I didn't think people really understood how hard it was to be a teacher, but being the headstrong person that I was, I never gave up.

That was why I didn't belong here in this stupid club. I hated being surrounded by drunk people that only lived for the moment.

Axel and Terra returned to the table boasting about the girls they just met and how they were going to get laid. Seriously? They were older than I was! I'm sorry, but my college days were over.

"Dude, you need to meet this chick," Axel exclaimed, pointing into the sea of drunks. "She is fucking hot!"

"That's nice," I said, rolling my eyes as I mindlessly scooted away from him.

"What? Where is pimp master Ven?" Terra shouted louder than he should have. He was obviously wasted. "Man, you used to _get it_!"

"No I didn't. Those were lies to shut you up," I responded, but I knew better than to argue with him during intoxication. I learnt my lesson a long time ago that it was pointless.

"Hang on, I'll get him a drink," Axel said as he stumbled over to the bar. Looking back at us, he yelled, "The strongest one… ever!"

At this point, drinking didn't sound like a bad idea. If I could zone them out even for a minute, my time here would be much more entertaining and fulfilling. I guess I could have just left, but as the designated driver, I had an obligation to the birthday boy and my other friend. I wasn't one to just ditch someone. I would feel too bad if I did that.

Ven, the D.D. to the rescue. Yay. Do I get points for enthusiasm?

One drink wouldn't kill me, though. Axel came back and set it in front of me. It was a mix of purplish-pink haze and smelled super strong. A candy fruit was cut into the shape of a flower and looked really fancy.

This was totally a '_chick drink._'

"They said this was the best. Now…" Axel nearly lost his balance as he caught himself onto the table, "Now… toast!"

"No."

Alright, I'll take a _sip _for your birthday. I lifted the glass and did so. Although the smell of the tequila was apparent, it had a sweet taste to it. Expected? Yes. Axel and Terra cheered me on like idiots as I gulped down half of it before setting it back on the table.

Okay, it was better tasting than I thought it would be. 'Sip' may have been an understatement.

"Finish it!" Terra urged, visibly disappointed. He did some weird things with his hands, as if that was going to convince me to participate any further.

"I don't think he can," Axel challenged. "I think he's being a pussy."

"Sticks and stones…" I started, but Terra interrupted in all his drunken glory.

"Yeah. Just because he's got the good job and the amazing teacher award or whatever, little Ven can't finish a measly mixed drink."

They are _so _conning me into this right now.

I will not be tempted.

"Yeah, it's no wonder why he hasn't gotten laid in what… _five _years? Was that the last time or is there something you haven't told us?" Axel persisted.

Okay, not fair. You guys knew exactly why I haven't "gotten laid" or whatever you fancied yourselves in calling it. Fuck both of you.

"Oh, grow up," I said, but I found myself holding onto the glass. They were really starting to bother me. Drinking alcohol had absolutely nothing to do with sex—at least not in my world. However, as responsible of a person that I was, I didn't like backing down from a challenge, and that was what this felt like right now. I had my pride…

On top of that, they reminded me of something that I would have rather forgotten at the moment.

Ugh, what's _one _drink?

"Fine," I said before I downed the rest in one go. Although it was sweet, it was still strong. I mostly did it to shut them up, anyway. Axel threw his hands in the air and cheered once more while Terra just clapped obnoxiously as his obnoxious laughter drowned the music out once more.

"Yeah, now have another! Wait, I'll be… right back!"

"No!"

My efforts were in vain, because Axel brought the same one back to the table. I offered it to Terra, but he and Axel just yelled loudly and got on my nerves even more. I needed to distract them, but even I was starting to feel a little hazy and uncoordinated.

Wow, that was _fast_.

"We're going to rent a hotel room," Axel said. "Let me get those girls."

"Oh, I'll come with you!" Terra stumbled after him. I found myself staring at things for a while before coming to my senses and then staring at something else. Damn it, I forgot how much of a lightweight I was! Why did I let myself finish that drink when I knew what would happen?

This is their fault. They made me do this.

I'm not drunk...

I would hear others talking, but all I could focus on was the menu in the center of the table. Food. That sounds good, but damn! These prices were outrageous! Who would pay eight bucks for some finger food that was probably made in a kitchen filled with… with people? That purple drink that I abandoned before looked so good by its lonesome. Maybe I should keep it company. It was calling to me. I wanted it. I needed it.

Do I have class tomorrow? I think I do…

Oh, who cares?

I gulped down the entire thing. This really was a bad idea, but there was no stopping now. It wasn't like I did this all the time, unlike a certain duo of idiots. I wasn't sure how much time had passed before Axel, Terra and the girls they were with surrounded the table, but I suddenly felt someone lifting me up. I was having double vision and I couldn't even think straight. Everything swirled around me as I found myself being tugged along, rather forcefully in my opinion, outside into the chilly, brittle air. When did I get in a car? Someone was touching me. Whose lap was this? It smelled like flowers in here. I didn't know what was happening anymore. That drink _had _to be spiked with something.

"You gave him Everclear?" I heard, but I couldn't process it. Everything was spinning. Girl's laughter filled the car. An involuntary smirk formed as I laughed with them, but I didn't have a clue as to what was so funny. The next thing I knew, I nearly fell over getting out of Axel's SUV, but luckily, someone saved me from an embarrassing meeting with the concrete and held me up. Dizziness took over as I stumbled onto my feet. I was walking into what looked like a hotel. This was where we were going, right? The bright lights killed me.

No… I have my own bed at my own house… I don't want to be here…

"I want him," a girl cut in. I was suddenly jerked violently off into another direction. Axel and Terra faded in the distance. Everything was so meshed together that I could no longer comprehend it anymore. I had my arm around this girl and I was stumbling to stay awake. She took me to a room and we went inside. My back hit the soft sheets of the bed and I felt her weight on me, but I couldn't do anything. The air became cold on my bare legs as she slipped my pants off and ran her fingers across my chest. Was she a prostitute? I'm a teacher. I don't have the money for this. Her hands glided down to my boxers and as much as I wanted to panic and tell her to stop, all I could do was stare at the ceiling in a daze. My shirt was next. As she unbuttoned it, slobbery kisses were placed all over my neck and chest.

"H-Hey… what are you doing?" I managed to say.

"Just relax," her seductive voice told me. I mumbled incoherently a little more as I felt her hands touching all over my body. A mass of red hair tickled my legs as she neared the edge of my abdomen. The room spun out of control as I desperately tried to come to my senses. Nothing was working and who knew what this girl was going to do to me. Well, I had a pretty good idea, but I was powerless to stop it.

"Wow, you're not bad," she said as she recklessly abandoned her top. She was blurred; I couldn't quite make out who she was. Her fingers skimmed the rim of my boxers teasingly, sending shock waves all throughout my body.

I didn't want this...

Please... just... stop...

I ended up blacking out.

o-o-o

I woke up in a state of panic to the alarm on my cell. My head was pounding and I felt nauseous. Sitting up, I clutched my forehead and squinted from the bright sunlight illuminating from the window. It wasn't until I noticed my clothes spawn all over the floor that I realized I was completely naked.

This wasn't my room… nor was this my bed…

…oh… shit…

I slowly turned, only to confirm my worst suspicions. A woman lay beside me, shirtless. My panic rose significantly as I desperately attempted to recall what happened last night. Where was I? Who is this girl? I sat for a moment, trying to get my thoughts together, but they were all jumbled around. I could only picture bits and pieces of the night before and it really worried me.

Did I…?

She rolled over onto her back and grumbled. She had long, red hair and looked a little young, only making me panic more. What if she was underage? I couldn't fathom what was happening right now. I had never been in a situation like this in my life!

I found my boxers over on top of the dresser. I guess she must have thrown them over there, because I certainly couldn't remember doing so. Sickened with myself for even being here, I got dressed and made sure I had everything. My wallet still had all of my money and my keys were safe and sound in my pants pocket. Sighing in relief, I was about to leave the room when I was held back.

She was sleeping so peacefully over there.

I'd imagine that she has had many one night stands before. She was probably used to waking up in the morning to an empty bed. If she could so shamelessly bring me into a room like this, then why would she care if I just left her here?

Damn it. I wasn't like that at all. I couldn't.

Sighing, I sat on the edge of the bed and tried to figure out my next move. If we really did have sex, then I would immediately need to make a trip to the clinic to test for any STD's. My class wasn't for another two hours, but this morning I was supposed to finish up some coursework, hence why my alarm was set a little earlier. I expected to go home last night as the designated driver, not be stuck in a room with girl that was probably a whore.

I say probably because you just never know. Alcohol obviously makes people do things that they would never do otherwise, kind of like the situation I put myself in.

I never should have drank. I should have swallowed my pride and taken my friends home. I felt so stupid.

She moved once again, turning back onto her side. How long was this girl going to sleep? My impatience was wearing thin, but most of it probably stemmed from my obvious discomfort.

Maybe I should leave a note and just go.

No… even that didn't seem right. I guess I had to wake her up if I ever wanted to get out of here. My hand neared her shoulder, but I couldn't go through with it. God, I didn't even want to touch her. I was so disgusted with myself. Clearing my throat, I said, "Hey," a little louder than normal.

She didn't budge.

"_Hey_."

She was obviously a heavy sleeper. I got back on the bed and stretched my legs out as I carefully adjusted the pillows so that I could lean my back against them. Sighing, I got out my phone and called Axel. It went straight to voice mail.

Of course.

The same result occurred when I rang Terra. They probably did stuff like this all the time, but not me. I absolutely loathed this, even if it was my choice to take that drink.

Oh well, I guess what's done is done.

The girl started groaning some more. Was she okay? I leaned over to see her face. It was scrunched and she looked uncomfortable. Finally, I put my pride aside and placed my hand on her bare shoulder. Her skin was pale and soft. I shook her a little. Alarmed, her eyes opened widely and she immediately turned and saw me.

Despite the ghostly look, she was actually kind of pretty.

"Oh, god," she groaned, rolling her eyes with indifference. "Who are you?"

"I'd like to ask you the same question," I responded. She covered herself with the blanket as she sat up slowly, not taking her defensive eyes away from me.

"…what did you do to me?"

"Look, I don't have any idea what happened last night. I just woke up naked next to you. I think we both let the alcohol get the best of us."

"…you… you raped me!"

Shocked by her sudden accusation, I was absolutely appalled that this stranger would think I did such a thing! Whether she knew me or not, that was such an insult!

"No! If anything, you raped me! I don't want to be here!"

"Yeah, right," she stated. I couldn't believe how casual she was being about this, but I guess I really should not expect any less. Sighing, she pulled out her phone and started texting. Typical. "Well, anyway, just leave your hotel key or whatever."

I didn't know how these things worked. Irritated, I didn't budge.

"What is with you?!" She glared at me.

"Fine." Making sure I had everything, I headed for the door. As I placed my hand on the door handle, my conscience told me to stop. Sighing, I faced her.

"Listen, whatever happened, nothing can be done about it. I can get you some breakfast if you want, and I'll even call a cab for you. That's the best I can do in this situation."

"…you would get me breakfast?" She sounded really rude, but I tried to ignore it. I sympathized with her, definitely. I didn't want to be like all of her other one night stands. I had more dignity than that.

And guilt.

"Yes," I said a little calmer, "What would you like?"

She was a little thrown off by this. I guess I was right—she wasn't used to being treated this way. Although she definitely wasn't my type, I could still respect our differences.

"How… old are you?" She asked carefully.

"I'm twenty-nine."

Gasping, she covered her mouth and just stared at me, wide-eyed. Oh shit. Now she was making me nervous. "Damn, you're so old!"

W-What?!

I dared to ask.

"…how old are you, if you don't mind me asking?"

I didn't know if I wanted an answer.

"I'll be twenty-one next month."

PHEW! SHE'S LEGAL!

Thank God!

Letting out a huge sigh of relief, I came back over to the bed. It was still a big age difference, but I wasn't going to be locked up or anything. I stood by the nightstand and said, "I'm sorry that all of this happened. I don't really know how these things work, and I'm going to hope that you don't either, so…"

"Cut the crap," she interrupted, throwing me off guard. "You _say _you're going to buy breakfast for me, but how do I know that you'll actually come back?"

Woman, how dare you-

Wait. She's not used to hospitality. Straightening up, I looked her right in the eyes.

"You have my word. Unfortunately, I have a class to attend pretty soon, so I don't really have much time. So tell me what you want and I'll go and get it. Also, putting some food in your stomach along with some water can ease the hangover."

She looked as if she was considering it. Instead of answering my question, she pointed to the floor on the other side of the bed. "My shirt. Get it."

"Uh, sure." I went around to her side. Her bra and underwear were underneath the shirt as I picked it up. Blushing madly, I hurried and handed her the rest and then turned around so that she could get dressed. After a minute or so, she got out of bed and walked past me into the bathroom. What have I gotten myself into? I checked the time on my watch and sighed. I had less than an hour and a half to get home, get changed and go to my first class.

The girl came out of the bathroom a few minutes later. I was ready to go.

"You go to the university, right?" she asked casually as she gathered her things. "I have a class at 8:15."

"Oh, so do I," I said, a little embarrassed to mention that I was a college professor.

"Good. Then I can ride with you."

"My car is at home. I'll get you a cab."

"I don't mind a little detour. You say it like we can't go together. Are you that ashamed to be in this room with me right now?"

"I-It's not _you_, per se, but…"

"I know. You're the goody two shoes that never messes up, right?" She sounded a bit snobby, but I let it slide. She was right.

"Anyway, I have some stuff at my house that I need to do before going to class, so I have to get going. I can make up breakfast to you another time."

Why was I making empty promises? I hoped I would never see this girl again.

"Keep your bullshit to yourself."

Alright, I tried to be nice.

"Fine. Nice knowing you, then." I didn't need to take this.

With that, I left.

o-o-o

I got a cab home. Once I got there, I took a quick shower and got ready in a span of fifteen minutes. Images of last night flashed through my mind. Whoever she was, she definitely knew how to piss me off with her immature, condescending mannerisms. Grabbing my briefcase, I headed out to my Toyota and got inside. My headache persisted, but I tried to ignore it as I pulled out of the driveway. I mentally noted to stop by a clinic after work as I headed to the school.

Great. The first sex I've had in five years was with a whore.

Parking in my usual spot, I was ready for another normal day. No matter what went down in that hotel, I was determined to forget about it. Getting out of my car, I made sure that I had everything I needed for the lesson that day before entering the History and Communications building where I've been going for the past three years. Students passed me in the hallways, talking about how much they didn't want to be here. I'll admit, I didn't like school either, but in my opinion, they should just suck it up. If you don't want to flip burgers for a living, get an education. That was what my parents taught me.

"Hey, Ven," Aqua, one of the other teachers and a good friend of mine, greeted from the across the hall. I waved to her. "How are you this morning?"

"I'm a little out of it, but I'll get by."

"Rough weekend?" She persisted, noticing that I seemed a little uneasy. I was about to respond when we were interrupted.

"Ventus!" Someone else called out, but this time it was the President of the school. President Eraqus patted me on the back. "You're still presenting at the banquet, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Perfect. I'm so glad that you're here at this school. You are clearly one of the hardest workers I know. Aqua made a good choice by recommending you."

"Thank you."

Without Aqua, I guess I wouldn't be where I was today. A smile formed on my face. It felt good to be recognized and appreciated; something that didn't always happen when I was growing up. Eraqus and Aqua waved and went off to talk somewhere about something else. I paid them no mind and headed down the hallway.

Alright. Whatever happened last night… didn't. With a deep breath, I walked into my classroom and set my briefcase on the desk. A few students were already sitting down; some of my _better _ones that were always on time. What? Every teacher had favorites; so sue me. I got out my roll sheet as well as the quiz I was going to pass out. Although it was still fairly early in the semester, that didn't mean that I cut my students much slack. I set my standards high because I believed they could succeed. This wasn't high school, folks. There were about three minutes left before class started, so I just sat down and went through my papers. A few students greeted me as they walked in.

"Hello, Mr. Ishida," Olette, one of my A-plus students said as she made her way to her desk with her friend, Pence.

"Good morning." I said as I checked her name off of the roll. Pretty soon, it seemed like almost everybody had arrived. Shutting the door, I went back to the front of the room to get started.

"Alright, everyone, I hope you had a nice weekend. Guess what? Pop quiz time. Everything off your desks."

Groans erupted throughout the room. I smiled to myself as I passed out the papers. I lived for the results of these tests, and although they weren't always the best, that only motivated me to work harder.

"Mr. Ishida?" A guy with long silver hair raised his hand in the air. "I have a bitching hangover, can I be excused from this quiz?" A few students laughed amongst themselves.

"Sure, Riku. I'll just write a zero down and you can go home and sleep it off. How does that sound?" I asked as I held the paper out in front of him. He grumbled and took it from me. I had a hangover too, but that was no excuse not to come to work. Just as I was nearing the last row, the door opened and a young, familiar-looking girl walked in. My jaw dropped at the sight of who it was.

You have _got to be kidding._

"You?" The same redheaded girl from the hotel questioned. The class directed their attention to her.

Well, this was awkward…

"I-I'm sorry, may I help you?" I asked incredulously, trying to keep my composure.

"Is this… World History II?" Her skepticism was apparent.

"Y-Yes, it is…"

"Yo, Kairi!" Riku waved to the girl. She smiled at him and came closer. She looked much better than the disheveled mess this morning, but that was cast aside as I tried to suppress my confusion. "I'm glad that you dropped that other class last week," Riku went on. She nodded nervously at him as she settled into her new desk.

"Me too. There was no way I was going to take Chemistry." She looked back up at me, almost in disbelief. "Are you the teacher?"

"Yes. You can call me Mr. Ishida."

Instantly, she busted out laughing. Baffled, I stood there looking like a complete idiot.

"I thought you were a student like me!"

Holy shit! This girl was annoying!

"Mr. Ishida has been here for three years," Olette defended. "He's the best teacher at this university. Please don't come in here and disrespect him."

Aww, shucks.

"Slow your roll, four eyes," Kairi snapped. "Are you in love with him or something?" Olette turned around in her seat and stayed quiet. Okay, now this was even more awkward.

"Settle down," I said as I continued to pass out the quiz. Glancing down at her, my irritation got the best of me. "Now," I paused, "I'm sorry, what was your name again?"

She glared at me. Mission accomplished.

"Her name is Kairi," Riku answered for her. "Remember it."

"Kairi," I said, repeating it in my head. "Well, _Kairi_, I will excuse you from the quiz today, but you're going to have to catch up on week one's work in your spare time."

"What? Why doesn't she have to take the quiz?" Riku pouted.

Are you an idiot? I ignored his pleas and looped around to the front of the class. "You have twenty minutes, starting now."

"Mr. Ishida?" Kairi's hand shot up. I had no choice but to answer her.

"Yes?"

Kairi reached into her bag and pulled out a picture that looked vaguely familiar from where I was standing. Upon coming closer, I realized that it was mine. My mouth went dry as I gave her an astonished look.

"You left this in the hotel room. I thought it would only be right to return it to you. Who is she?" Kairi said. Time stopped and the atmosphere changed dramatically as everyone looked to us. I grabbed the picture out of her hand and quickly put it back into my pocket.

She went through my stuff?!

However, that wasn't more important than the implications that she just made to the rest of the class. I desperately tried to think of some way around this, but I was too shocked to say anything.

"Axel found it by your bed this morning. He figured that since we both went to the same school, that I bring it with me because it was very sentimental to you."

She was trying to cover it up after blatantly stating it. Oh, you little devil…

"That's none of your business. The quiz starts now. I want silence," I said nervously as I sat down at my desk. Memories flooded through me. I couldn't believe that I didn't notice the picture was gone this morning before I left.

It _was _in fact sentimental to me. I guess this meant that she actually did bump into Axel, because otherwise, she would not have known and probably would have just thrown it away or left it there.

…sigh. I suppose this calls for an explanation.

Five years ago, I lost the love of my life to a tragic accident. Since then, I refused to be with anyone else, simply because no one could come close to her. I put relationships on the back burner and I didn't go out much. By now, I have accepted that she wasn't coming back, but that didn't mean I had to tarnish her memory with some one night stand. I was so happy back then...

Namine, I'm so sorry…

Alright, let's remember where we are. This was the classroom. I didn't need to dwell on the past no matter how much it hurt. I glanced up at the class. They were all working idly on their quiz, except for Kairi.

Man… how could I let something like this happen? Of course, thanks to some twisted fate, the girl I slept with was sitting right across the room. Karma was definitely punishing me.

This was going to be a long semester…

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** You guys! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter to **Chandelier! **I'm not quite sure yet, but the rating may change later on down the line. Ventus doesn't get much love in fanfiction, (literally? Lol) unless it's Yaoi, so since he's one of my favorite characters, I definitely wanted to write this. Please leave a **review**; anything will do as long as you give your opinion. This story will have lots of drama and even pregnancy. You have been warned.

Have a nice day/night, and don't forget to leave some feedback!


	2. Two

o-o-o  
**  
Two.**

o-o-o

I somehow made it through class without breaking a sweat. For the most part, everyone was pretty attentive to the lesson and no one fell asleep this time. I let out a huge sigh of relief when it was time to go and paid no heed to the redhead in the middle of the room as I packed up my things. My next class wasn't for another two hours, so I planned to fully take advantage of the time I missed that morning. Unfortunately for me, Kairi had other plans. Once everyone had left, she came up to my desk and startled me by slamming her hands down and giving me the most defying look I had ever witnessed.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me you were a _teacher_?"

I checked my surroundings just to make sure that no one was eavesdropping and then said in a low tone, "I'm sorry, that's not exactly something you mention to a one night stand. I'm really ashamed of it and I hope that you can respect that I wouldn't like anyone to know about this. I kind of have a reputation to withhold."

"Yeah," she scoffed as she crossed her arms and tapped one foot impatiently. "You were doing that so well by taking me into a hotel room and fucking my brains out."

Stunned, my mouth gaped open as I struggled to come up with a response. That _definitely _wasn't true!

"I-I wasn't even conscious!" I retorted. "I don't remember a damn thing about it! I honestly thought that I would never see you again, despite the fact that you went here too."

"So you _weren't _going to take me to breakfast later? I knew you were lying."

Damn it.

"No, I _wasn't_ lying."

"Good. Then take me now. I'm hungry."

"I can't. I have work to do."

"You're so full of shit," Kairi scoffed, storming out of the room. She seriously had some anger issues. Her reactions were so over the top that I wasn't even sure what to think right now.

GAH! Why do I get myself into such situations? Fuck her!

N-No, not literally…

I pulled out my papers and tried to focus. I had never felt so regretful in my life. I wished I could go back in time and kick myself in the damn balls before ever even picking up that drink. What was in that, anyway? It couldn't have just been tequila. As much of a lightweight that I was, there was no way one little mixed drink—or two, I don't remember—got me so wasted that I couldn't even stand. I hadn't blacked out from alcohol since I was twenty-two, and for good reasons. It's not a good situation to be in. I used to do a lot of partying myself back in my college days, believe it or not, but I've really mellowed out over the years. My idea of fun was sitting at home and watching Breaking Bad or something.

Namine was the one that pulled me out of the party phase and really made me buckle down and get my life together.

God, I loved her.

She was an angel. I had no other way to describe her. I knew that she was watching over me from up there and there have been times where I felt that she was guiding me. She was still very much alive in my heart, even though I had decided to leave her memory behind. Even if no one else compared to her, that didn't mean I would completely abandon the idea of a new relationship—I just figured that I wouldn't be able to ever love anyone else like I loved her. I had to accept that in order to heal. She really made my life so much better before she passed. Now it just seemed like I was taking things one step at a time, day by day. I was comfortable with where I was in life and any sort of change would probably stress me out.

Sighing, I set my papers aside. I wasn't going to get anything done like this. Finally deciding to give up and work on this stuff later, I packed my papers back into my briefcase and made my way to the door. Normally during this time I could go over to the cafeteria and find something to munch on, but I just wasn't hungry this morning.

Hah! She expected _me _to actually _take her _to breakfast? Bitch, all I wanted to do was bring you a damn bagel and call it a day. Sayonara, see you never. Hasta la vista.

Okay, I'm sounding more and more like Axel and Terra. They probably had an entire script to go along with their shenanigans. Axel partied way more, but that was because he wasn't going anywhere in life. I'm sorry, but that was the truth. He expected unemployment checks to pay his bills for him and honestly, that was disgusting because he was perfectly capable of working. I didn't know why I still associated with him, but I supposed childhood friendships died hard. He definitely was more vigorous than the rest of us and usually initiated most of our get-togethers. Why do you think I used to party so much?

Entering the University Center, I ended up going to the cafeteria anyway. Although I would have had a quieter environment cooped up in my classroom, I actually preferred this. It was still mid-morning, so people were getting the last of their breakfasts before they went off to class. In a way, I missed being a student. I had more freedom. As I made myself comfortable in a booth far off in the corner, I spotted that damn girl again up at the register. Riku was with her and it looked like he was paying for her meal. Were they an item? Probably not. I would actually have to feel sorry for him if they were, and I definitely wasn't about to sympathize with an idiot.

Why was I concerning myself with such trivial things? I really needed to grade these papers. It was like her eyes were magnetized, because as soon as she turned around, they found me. Great. Now I looked like a stalker! I knew the girl was hungry, so why did I come here?

I swear I didn't want to see her. This was just part of my daily routine. Of course, she and Riku had to invite themselves over and sit with me.

"Yo, teach!" Riku shouted obnoxiously as he parked himself into the booth beside me. Kairi sat on the other side, eyeing me suspiciously. Riku was oblivious to this act as he immediately began to chow down on his sandwich.

Oh, and whaddaya know, Kairi had a bagel. I held in my laughter as my eyes went back to my papers. I really needed to stop acting like I was actually going to get this done, but even pretending to do it was better than seeing her right now.

I can be a little immature every now and then.

"Are those the quizzes we just took? What did I get?" Riku pried as he leaned over. I covered the paper and moved it aside.

"You'll receive your grade in the next class," I answered. Glancing over at Kairi, I saw that she was already on her phone again. I just tried to mind my own business. I couldn't turn away my students, so I just had to deal with it.

Ugh.

This girl has seen me naked, whether she remembered it or not. If that wasn't the definition of awkward then I didn't know what was. They say to learn from our mistakes and I definitely did this time. No more late night drinking for me unless I'm at home and my phone is locked away where I can't find it.

I tend to call people when I drink and discuss theories of the universe and its creation.

I need more hobbies.

"Sora! Over here!" Riku shouted, waving his hands in the air. Kairi became a bit apprehensive as the person Riku was referring to moved toward the table. I looked up to catch a glimpse as he sat next to Kairi and put his arm around her.

Ah, so _this _is the boyfriend. Awkwardness, commence!

Wait, I knew this guy. Shit. _Now _I felt terrible.

"S-Sora, don't you have class right now?" She stuttered as she adjusted to the situation.

"I did but we got out early. Aren't you happy to see me?" Sora pouted.

"Of course I am… sweetie."

Oh, this girl was _bad_.

Poor guy…

"Wow, you two make up fast," Riku said with his mouth full. "How long did you break up for this time? Like a week?"

"I just can't stay mad at her," Sora responded with a huge, cheesy grin, planting a kiss on her cheek right after. Kairi just looked onward, actually quiet for once. She surprisingly seemed a little remorseful. Finally, Sora took the time to acknowledge my presence. "Oh, hey Mr. Ishida! I haven't seen you in a while!"

"You know him?" Kairi asked, a hint of nervousness apparent in her voice.

"Yeah, I had him my freshman year. You're in his class, Kairi?" She simply nodded. "You'll really like it. Mr. Ishida is a pretty good teacher."

Another commendation. Hooray for me...

Sora was one of my better students, but he wasn't the best. He had a double major in History and Business and was pretty well-versed in both subjects. Regardless, I was a little surprised that he was with a girl like Kairi. I thought of him to be a pretty respectable guy that actually cared about school and where he was going in life. He was a little introverted, but he and I have had a lot of long conversations about a whole range of topics. Sora was a smart kid, but when he was in my class he could have applied himself a little more. Freshmen tended to take their first year of college with a grain of salt, but I didn't know what he was like now.

"Have you been doing alright?" I asked him, still beating myself up for his whore of a girlfriend. I probably should have just pulled him aside and let him know the truth, but I was too ashamed. They may or may not have been broken up last night, but I didn't want to bother with all the drama. That was between them. I just hoped that Kairi wouldn't say it was me if she actually did tell him. Sora looked up to me, which made all of this so much worse.

"Yeah, I've been doing pretty well. I'm still balancing work, school and soccer. You should come out to one of my games sometime."

"Oh! We should go together!" Riku intervened. "When's the next game?"

"Thursday," Sora answered proudly.

"I'm pretty swamped, but thanks for the offer," I told him. I didn't really like to participate in school functions unless I absolutely had to, and I definitely wasn't about to acquaint myself any more with the likes of Riku and Kairi.

"Well, I have to get going," Kairi announced uneasily. "I have… stuff to do."

"Me too," Riku said. He and Kairi rose. Sora stood so Kairi could scoot out of the seat and then sat back down.

"I'm going to hang out with Mr. Ishida for a while, if that's okay with him," Sora said, looking over at me.

Oh, yeah. That would be _great_.

Gah.

I had to tell him. He didn't deserve to be lied to.

Kairi eyed me before she and Riku took their leave. Sora pulled a binder out of his backpack and started looking over some stuff.

"So… how long have you been with Kairi?" I started, just to get some background on what I was getting into. I really would not have cared otherwise. I didn't like getting into people's personal business.

"We've been on and off since high school," Sora shrugged. "I never thought it would last, honestly, but somehow we're still hanging on." Smiling to himself, he straightened up and sighed. "No matter how much we fight, I always end up coming back to her. I love her."

Okay, this was going to be much harder than I thought. "I see."

"Kairi sure is something else. All I ask is that you please be nice to her, even if she's a little cranky. She's had a lot of things happen to her and she's not always the most endearing of a person."

You can say _that _again. I didn't know how he put up with her.

"We actually just got back together this morning," Sora added, but then paused. "I'm sorry, I'm starting to ramble. You probably don't care. You've probably been there and done that. Am I right?" He tried laughing it off.

"No, it's fine, and yeah, I've definitely had my share of experiences."

Not really, but for the sake of conversation, I just rolled with it.

So… she _didn't_ cheat? Now I was confused, but Sora didn't let me ponder for long before he changed the subject.

"Anyway, I had a question about this homework assignment. I'm glad I ran into you, because you're the perfect person to ask."

"Oh, alright."

So here I was, conflicted as hell over something that never should have happened in the first place. Maybe other guys could do these kinds of things and not even think twice, but obviously it bothered me more than it should have. Here was a great guy with a bright future that loved this girl with all his heart, regardless of how much of a bitch she was, and she had to go and sleep with someone like me. It was a huge deal and I definitely would have wanted to know the truth if it was my long-time girlfriend, whether we were dating or not, but I just could not bring myself to say it. In my opinion, he was much better off without her, but it really wasn't any of my business.

"Do you think that I answered this correctly?" Sora asked, snapping me out of my reverie as he handed his paper over. I composed myself and looked over it. It was hard to concentrate.

"Yeah, that looks fine to me, but I would elaborate more on the progression of how it came to be that way just for a little extra oomph. You listed the steps, but you really should give a little more detail."

"Ah," Sora said as he read over his answer once more. "Thanks! You're the best!"

Sigh…

o-o-o

Later that evening, I made my way over to my parent's house. My younger brother, Vanitas had begged me to watch his four year old daughter for a few hours, but I knew that I would probably be here until midnight or later, so I prepared myself. He was part of a metal band and from what I could understand, they had their first gig in over a year tonight at a local warehouse. My parents both worked overnight at the same hotel, so that was why I had to come over.

A gig on a Monday night? That didn't sound too good to me, but whatever.

Vanitas was twenty-six and worked part-time at the thrift shop downtown. Ten years ago, if you were looking for teenage angst and someone that went through all the motions, it was him. Vanitas and I were total opposites. He always had trouble getting along with others, especially his own family members, but yet my parents still let him stay in the house. I think his daughter Delilah had a lot to do with it, but I _guess _that Vanitas was doing what he could to take care of her. Her mother abandoned them, so he was kind of forced to keep her. I didn't really know the entire story, but from what I could tell, he didn't exactly make the best choices. Children could change you, usually for the better, so I was glad that Vanitas was at least attempting the role.

My niece was so cute. I was happy that she was in my life. Her hair was a curly, dark chocolate brown and she had the biggest blue eyes I had ever seen. Those were the only traits she seemed to have from her mother, because they definitely weren't from my brother. She had more of Vanitas' personality. She didn't like sharing much and she was really short-tempered sometimes. Ever heard of the terrible twos? That remained well up until now, and probably because of Vanitas. I've tried to teach her to be nicer, but I'm obviously not around as much as her rebellious and overbearing father. Other times, however, she's really sweet and adorable.

Walking up to the front door, I felt a sense of nostalgia as I rang the doorbell. I should have had a key, but my parents changed the locks once due to an argument with my brother and I just never got to update mine. Vanitas flung the door open with a cigarette in his mouth. I glared at him as I stepped inside. He was wearing a black, sleeveless shirt with his band name across and matching baggy pants with a million and one chains, as if it made him look like a bad ass.

"What? I wasn't going to smoke around her," Vanitas defended. "You think I'm stupid?"

"There have been times where I—"

"Uncle Ven!" I was cut off by a high-pitched, energetic voice. My leg suddenly had an extra weight attached to it that wasn't going to let go without a fight. I didn't mind this, however. I looked down into her beautiful eyes and smiled.

"Well, hello, Miss Lilah," I said, only making her cling to my leg even tighter.

"Alright, give him some space you little punk," Vanitas ordered. Pouting, she detached herself from my leg. I reached down to hug her.

"Uncle Ven, we're going to watch Sophia all night!"

"God, what did I tell you about that stupid show?" Vanitas snarled as he opened the door to smoke. "You should be watching stuff like Jackass and Survivor. Not stupid sh—"

"That sounds like fun," I said loudly over Vanitas' unnecessary cursing. He may have been taking care of his daughter, but he sure as hell didn't know how to censor himself around her. I could only imagine how many principal slips she will bring home in the future for all of things she hears from his mouth. Taking my hand, she pulled me into the other room. The TV was on, and sure enough, that show was too. I have mastered the art of zoning out during children's shows, and I've done it without paying any attention to a technological device. Was I awesome, or what?

"In this episode, Sophia—"

Zoning, on. Her expressions changed as she dramatically recalled the events of the show. I read the anger on her face and responded accordingly. When she threw her hands in the air and made an explosion sound, I acted surprised. To me, this was just cute, but obviously I couldn't care less about how Sophia managed to give the horse its damn food.

Oh, shit. I guess I need to work on that.

Vanitas came into the room with a toothbrush in his mouth, and I knew all too well that he would try to talk to me while he did this. Sure enough, words came out, and sure enough, I didn't understand a damn thing. I gave him the look that I always did; a bewildered expression that asked my question for me. Grunting, Vanitas left and then came back a moment later, toothbrush free.

"You know the drill, but there have been a few changes. Lilah is going to beg you for peanut butter crackers, but don't give them to her. We found out that she was allergic the hard way."

"Why do you still have them, then?" I questioned.

"I love that shit. Also, this gig is _very _important to me. Don't call me unless you absolutely have to. If I don't answer, call again. Obviously, she comes first, but this could be a huge break for us." Vanitas stared at his daughter for a moment before turning back to me. "Anyway, I'm out."

He was always too proud to say thank you. At least he paid me.

I guess that was his way of saying it.

"Daddy, don't leave me!" Lilah whined as she ran over to him and clung to his leg just as she previously did to me.

"Stop acting like that. Straighten up!" Vanitas said, but eventually he gave in and hugged her. He definitely had a soft spot for her.

"I love you, daddy!"

"Yeah, yeah," Vanitas stood and left the room. A moment later, Lilah was already bouncing off the walls. I settled into my chair and prepared myself for a night of excessive singing and block building. Eventually, the movie _Frozen _would be thrown into the mix and for the first time in forever, I'll feel like shooting myself.

I've seen that movie _so_ many times.

As stressful as babysitting could be, it was also rewarding in the sense that it gave me a lot more patience than I originally had. If I ever had a kid, I think I would be way more prepared. Actually, Namine and I were looking into adoption just before she died. She had a medical issue that prevented her from having children herself, but she was just as open to taking another child in as her own. I was pretty financially stable, so I didn't mind starting a family so soon. I wanted to marry her anyway.

"Let's build a mansion!" Lilah exclaimed as she pulled out her enormous box of Legos. It was originally mine and my brother's, so we were both glad that she enjoyed using them so much. I sat on the floor and started handing the pieces to her. She put them in random spots as she went along, but I didn't bother to stop her. Eventually, the masterpiece was complete and of course, it defied all laws of gravity.

"Would you live there?" I asked.

"Yeah! My room would be the red one on the top," she said, pointing to the corresponding Lego. "You can sleep… here!"

"Oh, come on. I wanted the green one on the other side."

"No! That's Bella the bear's room."

"Alright. I guess I can deal with the one downstairs."

"No, wait. I want you to have this one!" She said excitedly, pointing to a detached white block on the far left.

"Don't you want your uncle to sleep in a nice bed?"

"Yes. There is a nice bed in there with pink pillows!"

"Pink?"

"And yellow sheets!"

"Oh, okay," I chuckled.

We did this for another two hours before it was finally time to put her to bed. She fought it for a while, like usual, but eventually I was able to tuck her in and turn out the lights. She slept in my old room.

Vanitas came back around one in the morning, completely beat. He put about fifty bucks on the counter and pulled a beer out of the fridge. I put the money in my wallet.

"How was it?" I asked. Vanitas shrugged as he took a drink.

"We could have done better. There wasn't really a huge crowd. Was Lilah good?"

"Yeah, she was. She passed out around nine."

"I figured she would. I've been trying to get her to bed earlier. You know, she starts school this fall."

"Yeah, that's true. You're going to need to tone it down around her."

"Whatever. She knows right from wrong... most of the time."

We both stood in silence as Vanitas downed the last of the beer.

"So… what happened to her mother? What was her name again?"

"Delilah."

"Oh, so Lilah was named after her. I see."

"Yeah. She moved to the big city. She didn't want to be tied down by a kid. Delilah actually wants to give me full custody. It's pitiful if you ask me, but I'm glad that she's gone. She would have just caused trouble and made my baby girl sad," Vanitas said as he leaned against the counter. "And _no one _will make her sad or they'll be castrated."

"Yeah, that's pretty messed up," I nodded in agreement.

"Whenever she asks about her mother I just tell her that she has some things to take care of before she can come back, but maybe I should just go ahead and tell her that her mom is a good-for-nothing bitch that doesn't give a fuck."

"Nah, you can't do that."

"I know, but I'll bash her at any chance I get."

"Anyway, I never told you this, but I'm glad that you've taken on the responsibility of raising her. It's admirable."

"Makes me feel like I'm doing something right for once," Vanitas added.

"Yeah. Well, just keep it up. I'm sure mom and dad are proud of you for it."

"Yeah right," Vanitas scoffed, setting his empty beer bottle on the counter. "As soon as I make enough money, Lilah and I are out of here."

It was a step in the right direction, I guess. I left the house a few minutes later. I was exhausted, but at least my Tuesday classes didn't start until the afternoon. As soon as I got to my own house, I fell onto my bed and passed out.

Tomorrow is just another day.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N: **I nearly died writing Vanitas and his daughter. IT'S JUST SO CUTE! Haha! What did you think? Please tell me in a review! Ven has some dilemmas, doesn't he? It will only get worse!

**Heart Station **will probably be updated this weekend.

'til next time!


	3. Three

**A/N:** I'm in love with this story right now. Please let me know if you like it too! I hope it's not going too slow or something!

o-o-o

**Three.**

o-o-o

"There's a difference between being late and being fashionably late," stated a certain red-haired demon.

"I have to disagree. If you're not in the door by 8:15, I'm marking you as tardy. End of story."

Over the course of my teaching career, which, mind you, has only been three years so far, I've heard a multitude of every excuse in the book. I was secretly hoping for something clever and elaborate to come along someday, purely for my own entertainment, but all I got were mediocre ones. Seriously, people, you have one job. Just get to class on time.

I didn't feel like I asked for much.

This didn't go over well with her, but honestly, I wondered what did at this point. Kairi got upset at the smallest things and Sora telling me that she was _cranky _was definitely an understatement. I was starting to wonder if there was any dimension to her character or if she was just addicted to drama of any sort. Did Kairi know how to smile? Even when Sora was around, she didn't crack one, but that was probably because her mistake was sitting right across the table at the time.

Hold on.

Did I just refer to _myself _as a mistake? Hell no. If anything, _she _was the mistake. You know what? She can just shove it. I was really starting to dislike her as the weeks passed, and it was no longer about the one night stand I so unwillingly partook in. She was just unpleasant to look at now. At first I wanted to help her, but I rendered that pointless a while ago. Kairi was nothing but rude to me, and she hardly ever did her work, either.

When she fails the class, I'm definitely putting a word in to ban her from taking mine again. I had a pretty good track record, so I didn't need to concern myself with unmotivated individuals that did nothing but waste their parent's tuition money.

I don't think she's allowed to take it with me again, anyway. Wasn't that a policy? The student handbook changed every year and I didn't even bother to learn every single detail. I don't think anyone took the time to read it.

Fuck that book.

Leaning against my desk, I readied myself for today's lesson. I decided to take a different approach today. Group assignments weren't really my forte, but maybe the students would like this a little more. However, this wasn't the typical group assignment. The class waited in anticipation (that may be a little exaggerated) for whatever I had to say as they settled into their seats.

"You all know that your first test is coming up and that it's ten percent of your grade, so today we're going to do a little group assignment," I said as I looked around the room. A few students sat up in their desks, meaning I had captured their attention. "Think of this as a sort of review for the test. History has a lot of precision, so I can understand if your memories are a bit foggy after the last three chapters. I'm going to split you into two teams."

"Oh! Do we get to have team names?" Riku never failed to chime in. Honestly, I should have been more excited that he was so engaged with the lessons, so I guess I couldn't complain.

"Sure, why not?" I answered and then went back to what I was saying. "The teams will be split down the middle, so get to know your fellow peers around you. Although you will receive a group grade, if one or two individuals decide they don't want to contribute, it won't affect everyone else." Somehow, my eyes landed on Kairi when I said this, but whether it was just some subconscious reaction was over my head. She seemed aggravated by it, but whatever. I handed out two sheets of paper with the same questions and waited for the teams to huddle around one person.

"Here's how the game is going to work. I'm going to draw your names out of this jar," I said, raising the jar that I had placed on my desk. I had already written down everyone's names on small pieces of paper and mixed them into it. "If I call your name, your team gets to answer the question. If you don't get it right, the question goes to the other team. If I draw more than two times for the same group, the other group will get the next question whether that team gets the answer right or not. Sound fair?" I watched as everyone nodded in unison.

"Are these the same questions that will be on the test?" Kairi spoke. Taken aback that she was actually participating, I hesitated.

"More or less, but they're not exact."

Hah! Like I'd actually give them the answers. I would never spoon feed my students. You had to earn your grade in my class. These questions were roundabout wordings as to what I was looking for, so they would really have to think about their answers on the test.

I liked challenging people. It made the results more rewarding when they came back on a good note. Sometimes it was risky and it made me work harder, but I was positive that at least ninety percent of the class had the potential.

"This will be a guide as to what to look for when you study. Now, I'm going to give you all ten minutes to go through the questions and answer them as a team. Make sure you write everyone's name on the paper."

"We're going to be Team Flagstaff," Riku announced.

"Flagstaff?" I questioned, bewildered as to where he came up with such a name.

"After that one general that defeated the south in the Revolutionary War! He had a goat named Flagstaff. Goat power!"

Wow, you could remember _that _little detail but you couldn't tell me what you had for breakfast? Sometimes I wondered how he made it into the University. I looked to the other team.

"Would you guys like to have a team name as well?"

"We decided on The Wielders," Olette answered shyly. "After the… brave people that fought for us."

"Sounds good."

As they started working on the assignment, I kicked back in my chair and put my feet up on the desk. This was so much easier than lecturing. As much as I enjoyed the subject, I had to find different ways for my students to learn because not everyone was awesome like me.

Totally kidding. I wasn't _that _egotistical.

Or maybe I was. Oh well, it wasn't like I shoved it in anyone's face. People just liked to compliment me nowadays, and although I was generally pretty modest about it, now I just said thank you and moved on.

I don't think people would like me as much if they got into my head, which was really quite a shame. I always had something going on.

It seemed like everyone, even Kairi, was working diligently on the assignment. I mentally patted myself on the back for a job well done. I had many more ideas, such as pulling my old guitar out of the closet and working with my students to form a historically accurate song, in which we could all perform on the side of the road to raise money for the school clubs. Wouldn't that be a sight? _The Rap Battles of History _were definitely entertaining, so why not? The first year, after I was comfortable enough, I actually recited one of these in relation to one of my topics, word for word. It was lame as hell, but when the results to the test came back, it was a seventy percent turnover from the last one. Ever since then, I have tried to come up with creative ways to make the class more interesting.

I didn't believe in just lecturing off of a projection screen. I wanted my students to look forward to coming to class and to actually pertain the information. Yeah, they may never use this knowledge again in life, unless they specifically wanted to delve into the marvelous world of teaching, but it was still good to know.

You could learn a lot from the past.

After the ten minutes were up, it was time to start the actual game. Standing up to stretch, I then walked around to the front of my desk and crossed my arms. The class quieted down a little. Students respecting you made it so much easier for obedience. Yeah, there were a few exceptions to the rule, but that was beside the point. For the most part, I never really had any disciplinary problems.

_Let's play._

"As an added bonus, the winning team will receive five extra credit points that can be used at any time. These points can be the difference between a passing and failing grade, so if you get them, use them wisely."

This made them happy, but it also raised the stakes.

Kairi's hand slowly went up.

"Mr. Ishida, I feel a little sick. May I be excused for a moment?"

Whoa, she actually knew how to be polite?

"Uh, sure," I said as she got up and slowly headed for the door with her hand over her stomach. Um, alright. Turning back to the class, I was ready to start. "The first question is, _'Explain what differences or disagreements the first settlers to the islands had and what they did to cultivate a society here on Destiny Islands.'_ Okay, I'm drawing now," I said as I stuck my hand into the jar. "Selphie?"

"That's me," the girl behind Riku called out. "Do I… have to answer?"

"Just read what your team came up with."

"O-Okay. Well, we all said that the settlers came from different backgrounds, so culturally, they had trouble getting along with one another."

"Yes, that's true. What else?"

"There were disagreements as to who will have power?" Riku blurted out.

"Between who, specifically?"

"I don't know, I just made an assumption."

Of course. I shook my head as I called on the other team.

Kairi didn't come back any time soon.

o-o-o

Kairi returned to retrieve her things just as the class had come to a close. As the other students dispersed, I noticed that she looked a little pale. Maybe she really _was _sick.

Oh, fine. It must have been difficult for her to be so nice to me, so I decided to show some compassion for her troubles for once.

"Hangover?" I simply asked.

What? I thought it was a legitimate question.

"Actually, no. I haven't had a drink for weeks," she answered irritably as she threw her backpack over her shoulder. A moment later, Sora appeared at the door, just like he had been doing since he found out that Kairi was here. They kissed and he immediately noticed her unwell state.

"Kairi, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she lied as she walked past him. Sora waved to me but was quick to go after her. After putting my stuff away, I was about to leave when I nearly ran into Aqua as I stepped out into the hallway.

"Oh, hey Ven!" She said cheerily as she held her binder close.

"Good morning," I said as I locked the door. "How was your class?"

"It was pretty good, but we could hear you guys from across the hall."

"Oh, sorry," I gave her an apologetic smile as we made our way out of the building. "We tend to get a little rowdy."

"I don't know how you do it," she said with a chuckle. "By the way, I was going to ask you—a few of the other teachers are heading over to Rafferty's for a late lunch. Did you want to go? It will be after your 12:00 class ends."

Terra worked at Rafferty's. I wasn't sure if I wanted to torture myself today, but since Aqua had been pretty insistent lately on getting me to hang out with her and the other faculty members, I decided to give it a whirl.

"Alright. I can meet you guys there, I guess," I said right before we went our separate ways. Walking into the University Center for my mid-morning snack, I realized that my regular booth was taken by some students, so I just found another corner to sit in. There were some guys near me that were pretty loud, so I immediately regretted sitting here. I pulled out the textbook and began looking over the chapters, just so I could possibly squeeze in a bonus question or two on the test.

"Hear about that girl, Kairi?"

My attention was averted to the guys at the next table over.

"I heard she slept with the entire soccer team."

I probably wouldn't doubt that, but honestly, this made me a little uncomfortable. I thought gossip was something that was left behind after high school, but I guess that some people just never grew up.

"I heard she gave a few of them the clap," another guy added.

My clinic results were STD free, so this couldn't have been true unless Kairi decided to sleep with other people within the span of a few weeks. I tried not to listen, but it wasn't working. Kairi may have been annoying, but they really didn't have the right to talk about her like this. Just as I was about to intervene, Sora had appeared and was already one step ahead of me. He had his arm around Kairi and she looked very upset. She must have overheard what they were saying.

"What the hell is wrong with you people? Why are you spreading lies about my girlfriend?"

Nice job, kid. Now the guy was in your face. Sora wasn't backing down, however. He held Kairi close as he glared intently into the taller guy's eyes. Figuring that it was time to put a stop to this before anything really started, I stepped in, gently pushing Sora aside. The guys seemed to recognize me, so they just grunted and backed off. I may not have been the most intimidating person, but I still had the authority to get them expelled if I really wanted to. (Trust me, I would). Turning back to Sora and Kairi, I sighed as I noticed the pain etched on her face. Gathering my things, I followed them out of the cafeteria.

"Thanks for standing up for her," Sora said after we got outside. Kairi stayed quiet.

"If you didn't do it first, I would have shut them up. People don't realize the weight their words can have."

"True," Sora agreed.

"Whatever, I'm used to it," Kairi said finally, her eyes glued to the pavement.

"You shouldn't be. You don't deserve to be treated that way!" Sora stated adamantly. I could tell he really loved this girl.

I guess I could extend a helping hand every now and then. As much as it tormented me to admit, my dislike for her had come to a temporary halt. I actually pitied her right now. Just like Sora said, she seemed like she had been through a lot in her life.

"Well, you two take care of yourselves, and Kairi," I paused as she slowly looked up at me, "Feel better," I said with the utmost sincerity.

She nodded.

"This means a lot to us, really," Sora added. "We'll see you around!"

"Bye," I waved.

They seemed to go well together, despite her overdramatic tendencies. With a heavy sigh, I found myself gravitating back to my classroom and staying there for the next two hours.

Blah. What a life.

o-o-o

Terra was a half glass full kind of guy. Always smooth with his words, (when he was sober, at least), he knew how to woo the ladies and make the dough. One thing that I had yet to understand was his innate ability to sound smarter than he actually was, as well as the skill to effectively pull it off in front of a crowd of unsuspecting audiences that he regularly came into contact with.

This was what Aqua was going through right now. The woman was smitten as Terra set her glass of water out in front of her, flashing his pearly whites and using body language to his full advantage. The other female teacher, Miss Lockheart, also couldn't take her eyes away as he repeated the same actions to her. With me and the other guy, Zack Fair, he was pretty normal.

"You look like a woman that likes to eat her veggies," Terra said to Aqua as he scribbled something onto his notepad. "I'm going to throw in a complimentary Caesar for such a lovely lady." Aqua blushed and turned her head to the side in embarrassment as she whispered something to Miss Lockheart. Zack and I exchanged impassive stares.

"And for you," he continued, referring to Miss Lockheart, "How does an eight ounce sirloin sound? You're pretty tone, so I'm sure protein is a big part of your diet."

"How did you know?" She giggled, making me cringe.

This was ridiculous.

"Ven, you getting the same thing you always do?" Terra asked. I shrugged.

"I'm feeling a little adventurous today. I think I'll try the salmon this time."

"Salmon? You hate fish."

"No I don't. Axel hates fish."

"Oh, right! Gotcha. For you, sir?" He turned to Zack. After we were all done ordering, Terra hurried off and I was left in the wake of the two infatuated women.

"You know him?" Aqua asked, as if this tidbit of information was some spectacular phenomenon.

"Yeah, he's been my friend since I entered adolescence. He's about your age, actually, but I wouldn't be too keen on getting to know him."

I was warning them as a concerned co-worker and friend. Whatever you do, steer clear of Terra.

"Wow, man. Ditching your own friend, huh?" Zack intervened, laughing right after. "Hey, Tifa, you should have seen yourself."

Tifa. That was her name. She and Aqua were the English teachers, but I heard that Tifa also had a Public Relations class. She hung out with Aqua a lot, but this was my first time actually meeting her. Zack Fair specialized in Military History. From first glance, it seemed like he and I would get along just fine. I believe that Aqua has been the object of his affection for many years now, but she usually paid him no mind as you so obviously could see. As Tifa and Aqua talked among themselves, Zack and I found our conversation falling short. It didn't really matter, though, because we had a mutual understanding simply being men. We didn't have to engage in deep conversations to have a good time, although I was curious as to what his theory was on something that happened with our military in the 1930's. Nobody really knew, but there had been many speculations.

I kept the question to myself, though.

Once the ladies had stopped worshipping Terra's existence and come back to reality, Tifa decided to start a twenty-one question session in an effort to get to know me better. I actually preferred this over _'tell me about yourself,'_ so I was a little more comfortable answering as she started out with the more general questions, like my age, how long I've been working, blah, blah.

Things were different in your thirties, apparently. People didn't really ask about your interests unless they were directly correlated with your career, at least in my experience. I was turning thirty at the end of April, so I guess I needed to start paying more attention in order to 'get with the program.'

I don't get out much.

"How far is your commute?" Tifa inquired casually as she picked up her glass of water and sipped on it.

"About ten minutes. I have my own house out in the suburbs. It's just a dainty, little ol' two story home," I said, but it probably just came across as bragging. "I mean, I saved a lot of money since I was a teenager."

Yeah, my parents instilled in me to make sure I was ready for retirement. I opened up an IRA account when I was eighteen and I put at least ten bucks in every time I get paid. I have also invested in gold and silver coinage, so I watched the market every now and then. I thought I was being pretty smart.

But I wasn't a bragger, at least not out loud.

"Oh, wow! Well, you just have your life set, then, don't you?" Aqua intervened.

"I just like being prepared," I admitted. We all sat for a moment before talking again.

"Would you ever teach any other subjects?" Tifa asked.

That was a good question, actually.

"I've considered teaching Destiny Islands History specifically, but I'm not sure how many people would actually sign up for it."

"There's probably some History majors that would," Zack pointed out. "My class is an elective to anyone that's not a major or minor, but I do have some that take it purely out of interest."

"I was never really good at History," Tifa admitted. "I'm not one to focus on the past, anyway!"

"I get that a lot," I said, laughing it off with her. My students used it all the time and honestly, it just sounded like yet another excuse to me. With Tifa, though, it didn't come across that way. I knew that not everyone would care for such a complicated subject, and I didn't mind.

"What got you interested in it?" Aqua asked.

Ah, memories.

"My family and I used to go on a lot of _educational _trips up until my teenage years, such as historical landmarks and whatnot. My dad was a pretty big History buff himself, so I guess his influence rubbed off on me. I also used to live a block down from an old nursing home and so sometimes I would volunteer to play my guitar there when I was a teen," I was cut off my Aqua when she gasped.

"You play guitar?"

"Occasionally. I was good enough to make the elders bob their heads, I guess."

"That's really sweet," Tifa pointed out.

"Yeah. Anyway, the older folks would tell me a lot of stories and that was when I really began to pursue the career. Once I got accepted to the University and was able to pick my classes, History I was the first one I signed up for."

"It's not really a subject you take up unless you plan on teaching it, right?" Tifa questioned.

"I suppose there are other things you can do, but I just like sharing my interest with like-minded people. My class may be mandatory, but I try to make it as fun as I can."

"So we can hear," Zack added with a chuckle. "You seem to be very passionate about it."

"Sorry, I'll try to quiet it down."

"I've been teaching for nearly eight years now, yet my students aren't nearly as engaged as yours seem to be," Tifa stated in awe. "Then again, who likes studying a language they should already know? You'd be surprised how many students don't know proper grammar!"

"No, I wouldn't, and yeah, well, I tend to let my walls down in the classroom and just have fun with it."

"That's the best way to do it," Aqua agreed. A few minutes later, Terra brought our food and the questions were put on hold as the women gawked once more.

"By the way, Ven, what happened to you that night? On Axel's birthday? You kind of just disappeared."

"You're a few weeks late with this question," I said nervously as the others listened in. "I decided to go home." I swiftly kicked at his foot in order to send some sort of message that we would talk about it later, although I would _never _reveal to him what actually happened. I knew I was making myself seem more suspicious, but it was better than Terra blurting out that we went to some hotel with a bunch of girls. I didn't need that kind of impression on my coworker's psyches, not when I was doing so well.

Terra definitely wasn't going to mention that around customers, however, so I was pretty relieved.

"Axel has been trying to get a hold of you. You should call him."

"What? I never got any calls or texts."

"He must be lying, then."

Or high.

"Enjoy your meal!" Terra exclaimed, winking at Aqua and Tifa and going off somewhere else. Tifa left her number on the napkin before we left the restaurant.

I needed new friends.

o-o-o

A major storm broke out just before my last class of the day ended around four, and of course, I was completely unprepared for it. I guess I didn't think to check the weather, considering it was so nice out before. On top of that, my car was parked on the other side of the campus. I stood at the doors along with a few other students, trying to come up with some way to turn into the Flash and make it to my car without getting wet at all, but I got nothing. Unfortunately, superhero powers just didn't work in this universe.

Time to run!

Obviously, I got completely soaked. Coincidentally, I recalled that I had some towels in my trunk for whatever reason, so I quickly moved them to the front and set one down in the seat before I got in and shut the door.

I couldn't wait to take a shower.

I put on an old CD and took a moment to catch my breath. I hadn't run that fast in a while and I had to admit that I was pretty out of shape. I guess I couldn't make any more trips to the burger joint on campus for a quick, convenient fix. My gut was starting to show, anyway. In my peripheral vision, I spotted none other than Sora and Kairi, desperately attempting to open a car door as the rain doused everything in sight. It seemed like Sora lost his key, so he was looking everywhere for it while he tried to shield Kairi from the rain with his other arm. It clearly wasn't working.

How the hell did I always run into these two? Haven't I been punished enough?

Damn it. Turning my car on and carefully pulling out of the parking lot, I cast my problems aside and went around to the next row where they were. Rolling down my window, I yelled, "Get in!" Once Sora saw who I was, he hurried over and let Kairi into the passenger's seat before I could set the towel down. She shivered beside me as he got into the back seat.

She looked as if she had been crying. How I could tell that in the rain was a mystery. Her long hair was a bit wavy from the impact and she just seemed really miserable.

"Here," I said, handing her a towel. She stared warily at me before finally taking it and wrapping it around herself. Sora did the same.

"Seat belts," I reminded them as they settled down. After I heard two clicks, I was on my way.

"I think I left my key in the classroom. I'm sorry. It seems like I'm always thanking you," Sora said.

"It's not a problem. Where do you need to go?"

I suppose I could have just taken him back to the building he left his key in, but they were already here and I really wanted to get home.

"Over to the Sunset Apartments. They're a few blocks away. If the weather is any better tomorrow, Kairi and I can just walk to school." Sora leaned forward to check on her. I glanced over a few times, but obviously I was paying more attention to the road. The music made this a lot less awkward.

"What band is this?" Kairi asked in a rude manner. Since I knew she wasn't feeling well, I let it slide, but Sora went ahead and answered for me.

"This is the Eagles. They were really popular in the 70's or so. I've played their songs before."

"Whatever," Kairi said as she leaned her head on the window. Sora started humming along to the song. The streets were beginning to flood, so I at least wanted to make sure I got them home safely before it got any worse. It was getting harder and harder to see the road, so I definitely was going to need to proceed with caution. As I waited at the light, I glanced at Sora in my rearview mirror. Maybe what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. He and Kairi seemed to just pick up where they left off, right? Why ruin it with something Kairi did when they weren't actually together?

Yeah, it was time to stop thinking about this once and for all. It will become my dirty little secret and I will move on with my life. Whether Kairi decides to do the same is her own choice, but I am _done _dwelling on this.

Unfortunately, karma had other plans.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** Well? What did you think? **Review **and let me know! Feedback is always appreciated! I think this is the one of the only VenKai fics on the entire site...

Other updates:

**Heart Station chapter 18: **60%.  
**VanAqua one shot: **20%.


	4. Four

**A/N: **Who all is reading this? I don't know, but I'm still having fun writing it. The cover photo was made by me! (Also uploaded it to deviantArt) Things will start to pick up now, so I hope I still have some readers! Lol.

o-o-o

**Four.**

o-o-o

It ended up storming for several hours. The power went out a few times, but it didn't really bother me. I was one of the few exceptions that actually looked forward to thunderstorms. I generally would sit in bed and read a nice book under candlelight, regardless of any power outages. It was peaceful and really helped me concentrate. I especially liked when the house rattled from the roar of thunder.

Just kidding. Ain't nobody got time for that.

Instead of a wonderful, compelling book, I was stuck grading once again. I didn't exactly put this on myself, because the University required a certain amount of tests, homework, etc. to be in the lesson plan and teachers and students alike just had to deal with it. I don't think any teacher would assign _that _much work on purpose. If you've ever tried to grade ten page essays from a hundred different students, you knew what it was like.

This wasn't a profession for whiners, though. I knew exactly what I was getting into and I definitely would not settle for any less.

Unfortunately, stormy nights also reminded me of her. Like any other normal person, Namine was afraid of thunderstorms, and of course I had to be somewhere nearby in order for her to feel comforted. I didn't mind at all, though. I liked any excuse for cuddles. She would attempt to divert her attention from the storm by listening to the blaring TV and she always had to have _all _the lights on. If the power went out, automatic flashlights would illuminate instead and she would simply curl up in my arms as she buried her head into my chest.

Those were the days…

A dejected sigh escaped my lips and I, once again, was a prisoner to my own memories. Normally I would try to distract myself, but on a night like this, it was inevitable. I set my pen down and stared at the picture frame that I had put face down so long ago. I considered picking it up, but I was held back by an overwhelming emotion.

I'm _not_ going to cry. I've left her behind…

Damn it.

With a few deep breaths, I inclined back in my desk chair and shut my eyes as I desperately battled the oncoming tears. I hated crying, even if I was by myself. It made me feel like I didn't have any control, and that was something that I definitely needed in my life. I gradually gave into the pain as I struggled to shake away her bright, smiling face. Her outline was transparent in my mind and I could no longer hold on to my pride anymore. I covered my face with my hands and broke down.

It wasn't fair. We were going to get married and start a family…

Sniffling, I opened the top drawer and pulled out a small, red box. My hands shook as I flipped it open. Inside was the sparkly diamond ring I was going to use to propose to her on her birthday, which was just a few days after she died.

Namine, why did you have to go? Why did you leave me here all alone?

I immediately shut the box and put it back into the drawer.

Okay…

I really needed to pull myself together. As much as I desperately tried to convince myself that I was over it, there were times like these where all I did was sit here and look pitiful. I could no longer deny the huge influence she still had on me and there was no way I would be able to forget the love I had for her that easily, no matter how much time went by. Flashes of her presence shot through my mind. Her bright blue eyes, the way she smiled… the way she laughed…

…the way she touched me…

_"I will always love you, Ven Ven."_

Her angelic voice was still loud and clear. Resting my head on my hand, I wiped the tears from my face and bit my lip as I took some more deep breaths.

There will never be another like you, Nami. I promise.

I barely slept at all that night.

o-o-o

Dwelling on the past, ironically, was not something I did on purpose. Once again, I was able to put my issues into the very back of my mind and move forward, even if it was temporary. There was a time and place for everything, and sulking on school grounds only made me seem annoying and weak.

Smile, and everything will fall into place. That was what I had to tell myself to get through it. A few students waved to me as I strolled off to class.

Kairi didn't show up for the rest of the week, which meant that she missed the big test. If she had a _really good _reason, I _may_ let her make it up out of the kindness of my heart, but that didn't seem likely. Sora came looking for her every time, and every time I had to turn him away empty handed. Today, however, he stalled a little before leaving.

"I haven't heard from her. I'm really worried. When I went to her house, her dad told me to piss off," Sora rambled as he paced nervously around my classroom. "She and her dad don't have the best relationship, so why would he care if I wanted to check on her or not?"

So Kairi had daddy issues. This wasn't my business, but out of courtesy, I just stayed at my desk and let him talk it out with himself.

"You're not going to fail her, are you?" Sora asked anxiously as he absentmindedly bit his fingernails.

Gross.

"I don't fail people. They do that on their own. I simply work with what they give… or don't give me."

"…fair enough," Sora said, only pondering some more as he crossed his arms. Well, good. We were on the same page. "I don't even know if she's feeling better. It's like she's specifically avoiding me… she won't answer my calls, but when I tried calling on Riku's phone, she picked up for a moment but then hung up once she realized it was me."

"Sounds like a problem," I answered nonchalantly. "Maybe you should just wait it out."

"But I can't. It's killing me. If she really is sick, I want to be there for her."

"Sora, you're overreacting. I'm sure she knows that. Give her some time."

"You're right," Sora said, followed by a sigh. "You would do the same thing, though, wouldn't you? You would be worried like I am now if it was happening to you?"

I would have gone to the ends of the earth and back for Namine, but I didn't need to tell him that. He was my former student and I wasn't sure why he felt like he trusted me so much that he could just vent in front of me, nor did I know whether to be flattered or not.

Okay, I'm not _that _heartless, but there was supposed to be some sort of boundary, right? It may have just been the subject matter. Yeah, I'll go with that.

"Sora, you're still young," I said, a little surprised that I was even saying that, "Please don't let one girl control your life. Kairi will be fine."

There. I gave my two cents. He seemed to accept this answer.

…I should really take my own advice.

"I'm sorry. I bet you think that I'm a real idiot,' Sora said with a half-smile as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I don't. I'm just a little confused as to what you see in her, to be honest. No offense."

"Everyone is. Kairi is just… Kairi. Not many people have seen it, but she can actually be really sweet and caring. That's the only way I can explain it."

"If you say so," I said, followed by a small chuckle. I kind of wanted to warn him, but at the same time, I didn't want to worry him anymore than he already was.

"I'll guess I'll leave you be. I'm going to be late for my next class," Sora said as he made his way to the door. "Thanks for listening."

"My door is always open."

No, wait! I'm not supposed to encourage him! With a huge grin, Sora waved to me. How the hell could that boy stay so positive?

It was over my head. A few minutes later, my cell phone went off. Vanitas was calling.

"Yo," I answered. I could hear Lilah whining in the background.

"Dude, _please _come and get her! She is pissing me the fuck off and I have to go to work!"

"I'm at work. I have another class in two hours," I explained, but he didn't seem to hear me.

"Shut it, you little brat!"

"Daddy, _you're_ the brat!"

I guess I didn't have a choice. "Fine, I'll be there soon, but I can't stay long," I said a little louder this time before hanging up. I left my stuff and locked my classroom door before departing.

The tension had not ceased by the time I got there. Vanitas was outside smoking when I pulled into the driveway and was really irritated. Not even bothering to get an explanation, I went ahead and stepped into the house. My mom was home, but she had locked herself in her room and basically left Vanitas and Lilah to work it out for themselves, which was something I probably should have done. Checking how much time I had, I looked for Lilah all over the house before finally finding her curled up in the corner of her closet. She jumped out at me and hugged me tightly.

"Daddy is so mean to me!"

Carrying her over to her bed, I sat her on my lap and pulled her hair back. "Alright, tell me what happened."

"He won't let me go outside and play with my new remote control car. He said he didn't want me to play in the street!"

"Well, don't you think he has a pretty good reason for that?"

"No! I want to play with my car!"

"Lilah, your dad has to go to work soon and he doesn't want you to be outside by yourself because he's worried about you. You could get hurt."

She thought about this for a moment, but then shook her head. "No I won't! I'll be extra careful!"

"You can be as careful as you want to, but that doesn't mean the other cars will," I reasoned. Pouting, she jumped out of my arms and went back to the corner of her closet. "_Lilah_," I emphasized, "Get out of there."

"No!"

"I don't have much time, but would it make you feel better if I played with you for a little bit? We can go out to the driveway."

This seemed to be the answer that she was looking for, because she instantly perked up and ran out of the closet. Grabbing the remote off of the floor, she hurried over to me and took my hand. We met with Vanitas downstairs, but she paid him no mind as she went to put her shoes on.

"We're going to have so much fun!" Lilah exclaimed as she slipped on her other shoe. Vanitas rolled his eyes and went into the kitchen. He had a short fuse, so I wasn't surprised that he called me at all. Lilah dragged me out the door before I could say anything and I watched her drive the remote control car up and down the driveway. Eventually, my mother came outside, clad in a blue bathrobe.

"You really should not have come," she said as she walked up next to me. "Your brother needs to learn how to control his anger."

"I know," I said. "Lilah seems to be okay now, at least."

"Go back to work. I'll watch her."

I knew my mom was tired from the night shift at the hotel, but it wasn't like I had much of a choice right now. Vanitas didn't even say goodbye as he got into his car and sped out of the driveway. Lilah ignored him and just continued to play. I stayed for another ten minutes before I made my way back to the university.

He had a lot of growing up to do.

o-o-o

After a pretty normal weekend, I was back at school extra early that Monday morning. I finally had all of the tests graded and I was feeling really great, because the results were beyond what I expected. Nobody made lower than a C, that is, except for Kairi who completely missed the test altogether.

She didn't show up today, either. Oh well, not my problem.

It was the perfect day for an outside class, and I actually checked the weather this time. I took my students out to an open area in between the History building and the library. The breeze was simply perfect and it just made me feel even better not to be cooped up in that darn classroom. Like elementary students, we sat Indian-style as we formed a circle in the grass. Some of the girls weren't too fond of this, but they obliged as they reluctantly sat down.

"Alright! Story time!" I started, clasping my hands together excitedly. "Who here has ever been to a historical landmark? This includes haunted sites. Anyone?"

My class was a little less than enthusiastic today, despite their test results, but my mood didn't falter. They exchanged glances with each other as they waited for _someone _to speak up.

Finally, Pence raised his hand.

"Yes, you've been somewhere interesting?"

"Yeah. In my hometown, there's this haunted mansion. It belonged to the mayor and the many generations before him, but all of them died a mysterious death. One time I went there with Olette and a few other friends and we found this weird document that stated some proposals one of them was coming up with, like how he wanted to put a stop to crime by making criminals work in bee fields and whatnot."

"Oh, that's pretty neat. What did you do with this document?" I asked, actually intrigued.

"We sold it to the museum. They said it was a really significant find," Olette answered. "They put us in the newspaper and everything."

"They thought that it was written by someone in the early 1910's," Pence added.

It was things like these that made me look forward to coming to work every day. History was all around us; it just took a little adventure and digging to go behind it all.

Selphie raised her hand next.

"Yes, Selphie?"

"Two summers ago I went to the museum in Radiant Garden with my family."

"Oh, really? That's a pretty nice place. What did you learn from it?"

"Well, apparently it went through some dark times, but due to a huge battle the righteous were able to take over once again and the country returned to a state of prosperity."

"That's right. Actually, we're going to study about that next."

I got several other stories out of them and time just flew by.

"What about you, Mr. Ishida? I bet you've been everywhere," Olette asked.

"My fondest memory had to do with a battlefield I visited with my family one time. We haven't gotten to that chapter yet, but many of the wielders once clashed on those grounds, and it was just interesting to see the barren wasteland that they left behind. We wouldn't be sitting here as comfortably as we are today if it weren't for them," I said, taking a moment to reminisce before continuing. Some of my students seemed pretty fascinated by what I was saying. "That brings me to my next topic: your semester project."

They weren't too thrilled about that part.

"Now, now, it's not as bad as it sounds. The subject of it will be _you_. Specifically, how do _you _want to be remembered? How are _you _going to make history?" I paced around the circle. I knew this was corny as hell, but there was always a method to my madness. "Even if you don't really know exactly what you want to do in your life just yet, you have to be here at this university for a reason, right? Start it off with your interests and that should give you some sort of direction. At least ten pages, double spaced. This will be due the day of your final exam."

I felt pretty good about this. I had never done a project like this before, but in my opinion, it was one of the easier ones that I had come up with. I knew how difficult it could be for some people to figure out what to do with their life, but if I could indirectly help them out by making them write it, they may be better off in the long run. Also, if I could prevent another 'Axel on welfare' situation, by all means, I would be doing them a huge favor. Of course, this wasn't just for me.

As class neared its end, I saw Sora swooping around to the building once again. He spotted me and his eyes lowered as he realized Kairi didn't come today either.

I felt sorry for that kid.

"That concludes today's lesson. See you all on Wednesday," I said. Walking up to Sora, I informed him on what he already knew.

"If Kairi isn't here by Wednesday, I can't let her make up the test, nor can I keep her in the class. It's University policy and she's already missed over three days without any validated reason."

"I know, but can you please just wait? I'm still trying to get a hold of her…"

"I'm sorry, kid. I can't. I have to be fair to—" I stopped when I surprisingly saw Kairi coming up behind him. As usual, her eyes were glued to the ground and she looked upset. However, something was different today, and I wasn't sure what it was just yet.

I wished that she would just smile for once.

"Hm?" Sora noticed my attention had diverted and turned to see what I was looking at. "Oh my gosh, Kairi!" He rushed over to her and hugged her tightly. Kairi looked to me as she shakily put her arms around him, then hid her face as she buried it into his chest. "Kairi, how are you feeling? Where have you been? Why didn't you answer me? Oh, it doesn't matter. I just hope that you're okay now…"

The way he cared for her was astounding.

"Sora," she said weakly as she pulled away from him, "…we need to talk."

Uh oh. Those four words were never good. Welp, it was time to take my leave. I walked past the couple and toward the University Center, but I stopped as soon as I heard Sora yelling.

"You're _what_?!"

I turned my head slightly. I don't know why I cared enough to eavesdrop on their conversation. Kairi was trying to shush him.

"How is that possible?!" Sora went on as he clutched her shoulders tightly and looked directly into her eyes. "How can you… how can you be… _pregnant_?!"

Wait, what?

"Sora, I'm… I'm sorry…"

I guess they didn't seem to care that they were discussing such a private matter out in public. Letting my sympathy get the best of me, I found myself retracing my steps back to them. Sora now had his hands on his head and was acting like he was going to rip his hair out as he paced back and forth. He didn't even notice that I had come back. Kairi just looked down in shame.

"So… so hold on. I'm… I'm over here worrying my ass off over you and you have the _decency _to go and sleep with someone else and… and get pregnant?! Because it's _obviously _not mine!"

"Do you two need a place to talk?" I intervened, although I really shouldn't have. Sora was still trying to come to terms with it all, and even I felt a little uneasy.

"We weren't together at the time…" Kairi said quietly, glancing over at me for a split second.

…oh shit.

"Oh, so that's a good reason for you to go have sex with someone else?! We only broke up _once _in the last three months, and that was for what? A week?!" Sora was really worked up now and I didn't know how to calm him down, but I didn't want other people to hear their business, either. Grabbing both of them by their arms and not caring how ridiculous it looked, I forced them into the History building and led them down to my empty classroom. Surprisingly, neither of them fought with me.

"Talk it out in here," I said as I shoved Sora in there. Kairi went in behind him and closed the door. Seriously, some people just didn't have any dignity. At the same time, Kairi's sudden revelation really freaked me out. Unless she slept with someone else within the last month or so, which was likely, there was a chance that I…

Oh… no... HELL NO!

Panic engulfed me as I nervously strode in circles around the hallway with my sudden realization. It was definitely possible, but it was so incredulous that I was having trouble even comprehending it. I could hear Sora yelling, but I couldn't quite make out everything he was saying between the outrageous implications that surrounded me.

"Whose is it?!"

Okay, I heard that much. I stood next to the door, praying to any god out there that she wouldn't mention me. The last thing I needed was some sort of scandal, especially with the reputation that I had. Although we were both legal adults, a teacher impregnating a student, whether he wanted to or not, was taboo no matter which way you put it. I was physically shaken by this, and I definitely wanted to know the truth now. Peering through the small window in the door, I saw that Kairi was in tears once again while Sora continued to yell at her. They were so loud that it didn't matter if a door separated us; I could still hear every word they were saying.

"I've done _everything _I possibly can to make you happy!"

"I was drunk, Sora! You really upset me that day!"

"Oh, so when you're upset, you have to go to a club, get wasted and sleep with someone?! You're a pretty emotional person, so is this how you solve all your problems?! Huh?! How many others have to slept with?!"

"No one else! I swear! Geeze, Sora! I feel like shit!"

"That's not half as bad as I feel," Sora let out an exasperated sigh.

Could this _really _be happening?

I quickly moved out of the way when I saw Sora marching over to leave. The door flung open and he didn't even look at me as he stormed down the hallway. Did he know? I took a moment to compose myself before entering my classroom. Kairi was sobbing uncontrollably, so I shut my door as quietly as I could and locked it. As soon as she noticed I was there, she tried wiping her tears away and hiding behind her wavy, auburn hair.

"K-Kairi… I…"

I didn't even know how to start. Equipped with this new and baffling information, I put my hands on my hips and watched her as I tried to come up with something—_anything_—to say.

"Please leave me alone…" she mustered. "Just… just go away…" Kairi buried her face in her hands and trembled.

No, I couldn't just walk away from a situation like this. As crazy as this was, we _did _engage in some sort of sexual activity last month. The time matched up and even the fact that she mentioned she wasn't with Sora then…

"Kairi," I paused as I collected my words, "is this why… you've been skipping my class?"

She didn't respond. I really didn't know how to react right now. I guess I should get to the question that I really wanted to ask, but all I could do right now is stand here, at a loss for words. Kairi only cried more, and somehow, I felt awful.

"There's no one else's that it could be," she whispered between sobs. "I haven't… slept with… anyone else… not even Sora…"

Alright, you can _wake up _now! Nightmare, over! Very funny! Be gone!

Upon pinching myself, nothing changed. When she looked at me with those grief-stricken eyes, I just _knew_ that she was serious.

I wasn't sure if I should believe her or not… this girl has been a roller coaster since I met her and I wasn't really able to understand her.

"I found out a little over a week ago…" she added.

…whoa…

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** All I can say is… **review**! Also, let me know what you think of the cover photo! Sorry this chapter was a little shorter than the others, but there really wasn't anything else that I could add!

'til next time!


	5. Five

**A/N:** I'm glad to see that there are people enjoying this fic as much as I am! Therefore, I bring you the next chapter! Please leave me a **review **at the end!

o-o-o

**Five.**

o-o-o

I have never canceled a class in my life… that is, until today.

Tormented with disbelief, I posted a note on the door and immediately took Kairi to the pregnancy center, posing simply as a concerned teacher. I fabricated a story about how her boyfriend left her, which actually wasn't _too _far from the truth, to be honest. As I waited in the holding room, all I could think of was how fucked up this was.

Yes, this was _fucked up_.

"Mr. Ishida?" A nurse practitioner asked from overhead. I looked up at her nervously. "Kairi requests that you come back to the room."

As if that wouldn't make this any worse! However, I wasn't really in a position to refuse. Following her down the narrow hallway, reality continued to hit me with each deafening step. I glanced through a small door window as I walked by. A woman was getting an ultrasound, but in my mind, Kairi flashed through in the same position. I halted and shut my eyes tightly.

Namine… what have I gotten myself into? Please… tell me that this isn't happening…

"Sir, are you alright?" The nurse asked. My eyes shot open. I was still here.

"I-I'm…" I trailed off and took a few steps toward her.

This was so unreal…

"Please go ahead," the nurse motioned as she opened the door. Kairi sat in the chair; her eyes puffy and her face swollen as she absentmindedly crossed her hands over her stomach. The nurse shut the door and left us alone. I stumbled closer to her, unable to say a word.

"It's true," she mustered. "I… I am."

I needed to sit down for this.

Pulling the chair next to her over a little, I fell into it and attempted to process the news. I could have been angry, I could have been blaming her, but right now all I could do was sit here in complete and utter shock. Remember when I said that any sort of change to my normal routine would probably stress me out? Well, this was overkill. I was absolutely mortified to be sitting in this room with her right now.

Was it _really _mine?

There was a steady knock at the door. A short, stout woman poked her head in before fully entering. She came up and shook my hand, but I still felt like I was dreaming. She wore a white coat, just like they would at a doctor's office and her long, brown hair was tied back into a ponytail. Her professionalism was apparent, but was she _really _there? Was I _really _sitting in a doctor's office right now getting ready to discuss pregnancy options with a girl I had absolutely no feelings for other than sympathy? A _student_ of mine, no less! She made herself comfortable in the chair by the computer before asking Kairi some questions.

"My name is Doctor Gainsborough. It's nice to meet both of you."

"N-Nice to meet you," Kairi managed, but I was still unable to speak.

"Is this your significant other?"

God, no. Please, someone just wake me up!

"No, he's my teacher. He's… here for support," Kairi lied. "My boyfriend didn't want to come."

At least she knew how to play along.

"I see," Dr. Gainsborough clicked and typed a few things onto the computer. "Well, it's very nice of him to assist you. I take it that this is your first pregnancy?" Kairi nodded slowly. "Well, congratulations. The first thing you need to do is start taking some prenatal vitamins. I can recommend a few to you. From what we can tell, it seems like you're already about five weeks along. You can schedule your first official prenatal appointment within the next few weeks, where we can discuss dietary options, get a full medical history and even do an ultrasound. Please gather any medical records by that time."

I had nothing to say.

"O-Okay…"

"You're going to be seeing a lot of me from now on, but if you're ever not satisfied with me and would be more comfortable with another prenatal doctor, you have the right to switch at any time. I will not be offended," she said lightheartedly. There was a short pause as she waited for Kairi to respond.

"What if I don't want to keep it?" Kairi asked gloomily. This caused me to look up.

"That is solely your decision. It's still early enough to terminate the—"

"H-Hold on," I interrupted, not even sure why I was saying anything at all. "K-Kairi, maybe you should think… about this…"

Abortion was completely out of the question for me. As unbelievable as this was, I would not stand for it. That just sickened me to think about.

I have that right… don't I?

Gosh, listen to yourself, you big idiot!

"Why do you care? Y—" she stopped herself and straightened up a little, "The baby's father doesn't want it."

"That's… not… true..."

Damn! What was I saying?! Kairi stared into my eyes. Her lip trembled as she struggled to cope with the intensity of it all. Dr. Gainsborough waited a few more moments before speaking again.

"Kairi, only you can make this decision under law, but you don't have much longer."

I felt completely helpless.

All of a sudden, Kairi broke into tears. I had never seen anyone so upset in my life and it was really starting to take its toll on me. There was absolutely nothing I could do to ease her pain. Dr. Gainsborough held onto her hand and began talking softly to her.

"Maybe you should go home and sleep on it. I know it's tough and it can be scary to go through it alone, but do know, that you are _not _alone. You have this wonderful teacher here, as well as me and the rest of the staff. We will support you no matter what you decide, no judgment or questions asked, so please just take some time to think about it. If you truly feel that you cannot give this child the life it deserves, based on no fault of your own, come back and we will schedule a termination. The baby's father has no say in the choices you make about your own body."

Well, that was comforting. Kairi took some tissues from her and started blowing into them. I was really starting to see her in an entirely different light, whether I wanted to or not. I empathized with her—definitely—because without my stupid decision to drink, she probably wouldn't be in this situation. It took two to tango, yeah, but I couldn't help but feel like I had an obligation to her now.

It could have been worse—she could have slept with someone that didn't give a shit. What was even more baffling was… _why I did_. We concluded the appointment and got ready to leave. I uneasily shook the doctor's hand and followed Kairi out of the pregnancy center. Exiting those doors didn't make me feel any better. It only meant that now I had to come up with _something, _something that could possibly save me from this.

…I've got nothing.

Instead of going to my car, Kairi headed over to the sidewalk.

"Kairi, where are you going?"

"I'm going to walk home…" she sobbed, shielding herself defensively with her arms in embarrassment.

"No, you're not. Get in," I said as nicely as I could, but she refused.

"Why are you acting like you actually care about me? I'm just going to end up getting an abortion, so what reason would you even have to stick around?!"

I had to think about my answer carefully, because whatever I ended up saying now could not be changed later. It was like I had to make a decision right then and there as to what I was going to do about this pregnancy, and quite frankly, it freaked me the fuck out.

At the same time, I knew what was _right_.

That didn't mean it was what I wanted, though.

"Kairi," I said calmly as I walked up to her, "Please understand that this is really hard for me to fathom. I came here, I saw the results, I heard what the doctor said, but I'm still having trouble processing it. This is a huge life change and if I'm _really _the father—if I'm the _only one _that could possibly have put you into this situation, you have to tell me the truth right now. You and Sora haven't done _anything_ in the past few months?"

"Unbelievable…" Kairi swung around in fury and started heading down the sidewalk. "I bet you think I'm a whore, don't you?!" She yelled. I had no choice but to go after her. I got in front of her and looked directly into her watery eyes. There was almost a sort of innocence to her, but that was slashed quickly when she grunted and impatiently tried to pass me. I blocked her from going anywhere, only pissing her off more.

She was so freaking emotional all the time. Granted, she actually had a justifiable reason right now, but it was still over the top.

"I'll admit, I thought that at first, but now I don't think so."

She glared so intently that it almost made me question myself. Uh oh, here it comes.

"As crazy as all of this sounds, I… I…"

"You what? You don't want it, right? You want to take the easy way out and just forget about me, just like everyone else does? Why treat me any differently than the rest of them?"

What was she talking about? Wasn't Sora's overprotective ways enough for her? She seriously needed to take a chill pill, but it probably would not be a good idea to say that out loud. As she brushed past me, I wasn't sure what came over me.

"I will take responsibility," I stated firmly as I clenched my fists. It almost felt like someone else did the talking for me, because I couldn't believe that I actually said it. She stopped dead in her tracks. In a split second, I had made the decision of a lifetime.

There was no turning back.

"What did you say?" She snarled as she marched right back over to me. I stood my ground.

Man up, Ven.

"I said that I will take responsibility." Taking a few steps back, Kairi gave me a wary look.

"You… realize… what this means, don't you?"

Eighteen years of child support? Bring it on.

Nah, even that sounded strange in my head. With an unfaltering gaze, I gathered my thoughts together before answering her question. "It means that… we're going to have a baby."

The more I said it, the more ridiculous it seemed. However, now that we were here, I may as well go the distance. My word was my bond and I _never_ broke a promise.

I still owed her breakfast. Damn it.

"I do have some conditions, though," I added, still a little unsure if this was really what I wanted to do. Kairi crossed her arms and waited for me to continue. "Like before, nobody can know about this."

"Oh, so I'm supposed to just get all of the ridicule by myself? Because I'm sure that Sora won't be around anymore. People are going to talk."

"Kairi, I understand that it seems unfair, but in order for me to financially support you, I have to keep my job. What do you think is going to happen if it's revealed that the baby is mine? Besides, I'm not trying to put the blame on you, but you did, kind of… do all of this without my consent."

It definitely wasn't fair to her and I hated saying it, but really, what choice did I have? If I became notorious for something like this, I would never be able to get a decent job again.

"You said you wanted it."

"That's highly unlikely," I responded. "I was about to pass out."

"You told me to ride you, and I did."

Geeze, woman! Let's just tell the whole world while we're at it! I didn't believe for a second that something like that came out of my mouth. Grabbing her hand, I led her back to my car and demanded for her to get in. With a glare, she did so. She was back to her defiant self and I wasn't about to put up with her childish antics. Settling into the driver's seat, I composed myself before continuing.

"Either we talk about this like adults or…"

"Or what? You leave?"

"_No_," I said, followed by a heavy sigh. "Look, for once, could you _please_ just treat me with some respect? I'm really trying to accept this right now. I'm doing the best that I can, given the circumstances. Consider yourself lucky that I'm even here!"

She was quiet. Well, good enough. I didn't even know where to begin.

"Thank you," I said, letting out an exasperated sigh. As I twiddled with my thumbs, I contemplated the next course of action. "We're going to have to pretend like…"

"I get it. I'll just continue to act like your student. Besides, by the time the semester is over, I'll probably only be showing a little, but that's what baggy clothes are for. At the end of the semester, I'll drop out and then people can forget that I was ever a student in the first place. It will save your stupid little reputation and you can just send me money every month."

She had this all figured out. However, to me, it still sounded wrong. I pulled out of the parking lot and made my way back to campus.

"You shouldn't drop out."

"You say that like I have a choice," she responded as she leaned back in the passenger's seat. "If I stayed for the rest of the year, it would only make it worse for the both of us. Besides, I can't take care of a baby and go to school at the same time."

"Lots of parents do it. You just need to have some good babysitters," I reasoned.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I don't exactly have the support system," she said as she rolled her eyes.

"You don't have any friends that could help you? Family?"

"Yeah, _sure_," Kairi scoffed as she faced the window. "My friends, if you could even call them that, would forget they were even babysitting and go out and party or something."

"Sounds like you need better friends," I paused, "…actually, mine probably would too."

She was a little surprised to hear that. Before she could respond, her phone went off. She gulped as she read the name on the screen.

"It's him," she said weakly.

"If you're not up to talk, don't answer."

"He'll just call back," Kairi replied. Sure enough, he did.

"Let me talk to him," I said as I put my hand out. Kairi gave me a weird look, but eventually handed her phone over. I answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Huh?" Sora's muffled voice responded on the other line. "Who is this?"

"This is Mr. Ishida. Kairi is too shaken up to talk right now."

"Oh… where are you guys? Are you still in the classroom?" He sounded a bit anxious.

"No," I glanced over at Kairi, who was shaking her head. "Listen, you'll have to call back later."

"Just let me talk to her for a moment. Please?"

"She can't. I'm sorry, Sora."

"I promise I won't yell at her…"

"I'm glad for that, but I just can't let you right now. Take some more time to calm down. I'm hanging up now."

I dropped the call and handed the phone back to Kairi. She immediately put the phone on silent. It was a little weird talking to Sora just then, but I felt like it was the least I could do. Kairi struggled to come up with words as she clutched her phone tightly in her hands. Sora was calling back.

"Eventually, you two are going to have to talk this out," I said.

"I know, but just not today. I can't take him being so mad at me…"

"Fair enough."

"Look," Kairi started, trying her best to ignore the phone call, "I know it may not mean much at all, but… I'm sorry for dragging you into that hotel room… and into this mess."

Now, I was the surprised one.

"Sora and I got into a huge fight that night and all I wanted to do was forget. I've never done anything like that before. I guess my friend's bad influences finally got to me, and now, here I am, paying the price."

A tear rolled down her cheek.

So she _is _human.

"Thanks for the apology. It means a lot," I said sincerely as I pulled into the campus parking lot. After a moment of recollecting my thoughts, I turned to her and managed a half smile. "Due to the circumstances, I will excuse the past three absences, as well as let you make up the test sometime by next Wednesday. How does that sound?"

"You're talking to me about school now?"

"Well, we're kind of here, and I'm kind of… your teacher."

I had to keep reminding myself of that.

"I'm going to drop your class if you keep it up," Kairi said in a serious tone, but then, in a small glimpse, a smirk formed as she unbuckled her seatbelt and picked her purse up off of the floor. "I'll make up the test."

"I look forward to it," I said, blinking a few times as she got out of the car.

She made no sense to me.

o-o-o

After dropping Kairi off, I decided to go home for the day. Despite her unexpected apology, I was so overwhelmed that I could hardly think straight. Now that I had some time to myself, things were really sinking in. As I pulled into my driveway, the realization that I, Ventus Ishida, was going to be a father sometime by the end of the year hit me like a brick wall. I had absolutely no idea what to do at this point. I had made yet another promise, but this time, it was a lifelong commitment.

I wanted to tell Vanitas, but I was still trying to come to terms with it myself. He would probably understand what I was going through more than anybody else. As much of a douche bag as he could be, I knew that I could trust him to keep a secret like this, but I was so afraid that I wouldn't even know how to explain it him—or anybody, for that matter. Eventually, people were going to find out in one way or another, but right now I just had to figure out how to ease the tension—not just for me but for Kairi as well. Yeah, she offered some ideas, but they just didn't sit right with me.

Was I making this a bigger deal than it needed to be? It wasn't like this was high school…

No. School administrators and parents alike were brutal when it came to something different, especially something like this. It was an unspoken taboo among them. All kinds of rumors could formulate and it would all be downhill from there. It was scary to even think about.

I will definitely be getting a paternity test as soon as possible…

Regardless, I still had to talk to _someone_.

Namine, what should I do?!

Of course, I wasn't going to get an answer. Actually, I should have been begging her spirit for forgiveness or something, because I felt absolutely horrible. I never thought I would be in a position like this.

As I walked into my house, I didn't even bother to kick off my shoes as I headed for the kitchen. Filling up a cup of water, I leaned against the counter and reviewed the events of the day. They blurred together like a movie on fast-forward. Everything had happened so fast—and so suddenly—that I didn't even know what to make of it anymore. Kairi was so all over the place that I was having trouble pinpointing her true nature. I had to think about this if I was really going to be seeing her for pretty much the rest of my life.

God, please don't ever say that again…

What kind of person _was _she? I knew what my initial opinion of her was, but I was so confused now.

That was it. I couldn't deal with this alone. Setting my glass on the counter, I grabbed my keys and left.

o-o-o

Lilah was happy to see me once again, but now, every time I looked into her pretty blue eyes, I was inevitably reminded of what was to come. Vanitas sat lazily in the recliner and played with his phone as one of Lilah's favorite TV shows filled the room with infectious singing. He didn't even look up at me when I entered the room.

"What are you doing here? Did you come to steal her from me? Because that would be great."

"No, actually…" I hesitated, but then I was interrupted by Lilah. She tugged on my hand and led me onto the floor where she had the Legos out once again. Vanitas paid us no mind as she started handing blocks to me.

"This time we're going to build a house for BooBoo the Bear. He likes red and pink houses!"

"Uh, okay," I said, still trying to swallow the lump in my throat. Finally, Vanitas glanced down and noticed my anxious state.

"Hey, poppy cakes, give dad and your uncle some time, will ya?"

Well, I certainly never heard that nickname before. Lilah seemed to understand, because she pouted and took the blocks out of my hand. Vanitas got up and gestured for me to follow. We entered the kitchen.

"Something must be bothering you, because I know you didn't come here just to watch stupid kid's shows," Vanitas said as he reached for his lighter and headed toward the back door. "Let's go outside. Mom is still home." Once we got out onto the back porch, Vanitas immediately lit up. I kept my distance as I tried to figure out how to explain this.

I guess I could just start from the beginning. Wow, my palms were beginning to sweat.

"So, uh, you know how Axel and Terra like to party a lot?"

"Heh, yeah," Vanitas smirked. "They've invited me out a few times, but unfortunately, I have to stay here for some _unknown_ reason."

"Yeah, well… I went to his birthday party last month at some club."

"And?"

"And… the next morning…"

"Ven, if this is one of your stupid hangover stories, save me the trouble now. No matter what you've done, I've done it ten times better."

"I got a girl pregnant."

Vanitas gave me the most baffled look I had ever seen from him. "Well, _shit_."

"I figured that you could relate," I said, still at a loss. "But… you can't tell anyone. No one at all. Not mom, not dad… especially not Lilah."

"Alright, alright, chill, man."

I sighed in relief.

"The only advice I can give you is… _never _put a ring on it. I don't care how adorable she is, I don't care how much you may think you are connected to her because of the little peanut in her uterus, just… don't get married. It's the worst thing you can ever do. The child will be fine."

"Whoa, I hadn't even considered that!"

"Good. Now, she's probably going to want to take you to court or something, so, uh, I would say just state your case and you should be fine. It's like three hundred a month for child support, but luckily I got out of that when Delilah left town."

"Really? That's it?" I persisted. Vanitas merely shrugged.

"What do you want me to tell you? You've seen what I've gone through with all this shit. Just be there for your kid and they'll thank you someday. That's all you have to do. It doesn't mean you have to get involved with the mother."

"You make it sound so easy."

I really didn't want to tell him the other part.

"Yeah, well, it's not. It's a freaking bitch," Vanitas said as he lit up another cigarette. "So, have y'all talked about it?"

"Yeah… I actually just found all of this out today."

"It's not one of your students, is it? That would be hilarious," Vanitas teased as he busted out in laughter, but all I could do was stand there, trying to fight the acidic substance rising in my throat. Vanitas glanced over at me and saw that I wasn't sharing the same amusement. "Oh… _oh_…" he said as his lighthearted disposition faded.

"Nobody can know," I restated weakly.

"Damn! How old is she?!" Vanitas asked, suddenly way more interested.

"She's legal. At the time, I was so drunk that I really don't even remember doing anything but blacking out. Axel gave me this purple drink."

"Oh, god," Vanitas said as he rolled his eyes, "Tequila-clear."

"What?"

"Tequila mixed with Everclear and cranberry juice or something. It sounds super gross and they probably add other stuff, but that thing is lethal. No wonder you got so fucked up."

"I had two of them, then," I admitted.

"You are one brave person," Vanitas said as he lowered his cigarette in astonishment.

"I am one stupid person," I clarified. "Anyway, it's good to know that I can't trust Axel or Terra anymore, not that I ever really did in the first place."

"Yeah," Vanitas scoffed. "They're idiots. Just stop hanging out with them."

"Coming from you, that's saying a lot," I said and chuckled.

"Yeah, it really is," he nodded in agreement. "Well, you have my word. I won't tell a soul."

"Thanks."

I went home feeling slightly better.

Just slightly.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N: **Stellar advice from Vanitas, right? Who knew he harbored such wisdom! Now, folks, ask yourselves: how is Ven going to come to terms with all of this? What kind of a person IS Kairi? What will Sora's role be in this? All that and more as you continue reading! Please brighten my day by leaving me a lovely **review.**

MusicalSage, your one shot is halfway done!

Also, don't ever drink EverClear. kthxbai.

Peace!


	6. Six

**A/N:** Thanks again to those that took the time to review. You guys are amazing and I dunno what I would do without you!

o-o-o

**Six.**

o-o-o

I was actually nervous to come to class today. As I strolled down the hallway, the realization that I would be walking a very fine line from here on out played over and over in my head. I was heading into paranoia, almost, and it was troubling to say the least. I could no longer hear student's chatter as I neared my classroom. My mind was preoccupied with tons of '_what if's_,' and it wasn't getting any easier. Part of me hoped that Kairi wouldn't be in class today.

"Ven!" A cheerful voice rang out. It was none other than Aqua.

"H-Hi," I managed as I clutched my binder tightly in attempt to calm my dreadful state. It has been said that if you squeezed something, you could ease whatever stress you were going through, but I didn't have a squishy red ball at the moment, so I had to make due. She noticed that something was amiss right away.

Man, I need to get better at this.

"Are you okay?"

"Me? Yeah, I'm fine," I said with a gulp as my eyes averted away from her. I spotted Kairi in her seat and became even more vigilant than before. I knew I wasn't making this any better for myself, but I guess you could say that I've never been required to hide such a huge secret like this, either. I just couldn't act normal. I wasn't proud of what was going on, and pretending was not one of my strong suits. Aqua didn't believe me, but I wasn't going to give her time to question it.

"Well, my class starts now," I said, more fearful with each passing word. "See you."

"Hold on, Ven," Aqua chimed. I stopped. "Do you want to join me and the other teachers for lunch again today?"

"I can't," I answered immediately. "I… I have too much to catch up on." Although I felt bad for rejecting her invitation, I knew that there was no way I could be in a social setting with anyone right now. I wasn't even sure why I came to class. We waved to each other before I went into the classroom. Without looking up, I made it over to my desk and set my briefcase down. I didn't even bother to take the roll. That was how bad this was.

Teaching today seemed next to impossible, so I came prepared.

"Movie day," I said, still avoiding all sorts of eye contact. Eventually, I knew I would have to face them, but I just needed a moment. Just give me a moment…

"Mr. Ishida?" Olette's subtle voice was heard. Well, here goes nothing.

"Yeah?" I responded as my eyes traveled over to her—and—inevitably, behind her where Kairi sat quietly. I focused back on Olette.

"You don't look so good," she pointed out; concern written on her face. Thanks. Let's just make the whole world aware of my distress; not that I was helping my own case, anyway.

"I just feel a little sick today," I fibbed, but I guess it was partially accurate. "That's why we're having a movie day. How does _Back to the Future _sound?"

"Totally educational!" Riku blurted out. "You're awesome!"

It never failed.

"Uh, yeah. Let's just relax," I said as I put the movie on and sat back in my desk chair. With one last glance in Kairi's direction, I closed my eyes and tried to do just that.

It didn't work.

o-o-o

Once class was over, I remained at my desk and ignored everyone in the politest way possible. Other than Olette and a few others, they didn't really seem too bothered by my restless demeanor. In fact, they were probably happy to get a small break. I knew I couldn't keep doing this, so I had to figure something out by Wednesday. I was sure that I would be able to handle any other class a little better, simply because Kairi wouldn't be there to remind me. As I waited for everyone to leave, I started to feel a little more relieved.

"Hey, Kairi," Riku's charismatic voice sounded over the commotion, "You coming to the bar with us tonight?"

"I can't," she replied apologetically.

"Aww, why not? It's no fun without you." In a glance, I saw him nudge her.

"I have to catch up on homework. I did miss a week or so," she said effortlessly as she stayed in her desk. Riku pouted and headed for the door.

"Well, if you change your mind, you've got my number," he said just before leaving me alone with Kairi. I wondered why she wasn't getting up. After the coast was clear, I looked up at her.

"You are terrible at this," she said bluntly. Before answering her, I got up and closed my door. I half expected Sora to come and see Kairi, but I still didn't want anyone to hear our conversation. Turning back to her, I thought about what I was going to say.

"It's been a pretty hectic week for me, but… how are you doing?" I asked, throwing her off a little, but she adjusted accordingly by simply shrugging her shoulders.

"I'm here, I'm alive, and I want to make up the test now."

I blinked a few times. I wasn't expecting that so soon. "Oh, okay," I said as I reached for my binder to retrieve a copy of the test that I had in there specifically for her. Looking over it, I didn't really anticipate decent results, but I guess I didn't really _know_, either. Regardless, she did have the right to take it. I walked over and handed her the test.

"Thank you."

"Um, right," I said as I paced back to my desk, but sure enough, Sora was at the door. Kairi noticed this as well, but instead of paying attention to him, she just started writing. I looked from her and back to him again and sighed. "I'll take care of it." I went over and opened the door slightly. His anxiety was obvious.

"Am I interrupting?" Sora asked in a low tone.

"Kind of. She's taking a test right now."

"Oh, sorry," he said as his eyes lowered. "Well, wish her luck for me."

This guy was hopeless. As he turned to walk off, I couldn't help but stop him. I glanced back at Kairi for a moment before stepping out into the hallway and shutting the door quietly. Sora stayed put as he waited for me to say something.

"Listen, kid, I'm sorry to say this, but please, take my advice. You have to let Kairi come to you."

"I know we can work this out if we just try. I don't want to lose her."

"That's very admirable, and I think you should keep that stance, but right now, you can't smother her. She's going through a lot."

"So… she talked to you?" Sora said, seeming hopeful as his gaze met mine.

"Well, I couldn't exactly leave her there when she was bawling her eyes out."

"Wow. You're such a great person."

Shit… I didn't deserve praise from him. With a faint smile, Sora straightened up.

"You'll take care of her, right?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean, you'll look after her for me? If Kairi doesn't want me around, then maybe the next best thing is for you to be there when she needs it?" Sora asked, seeming a little uncertain of himself. I wasn't exactly sure of what he was trying to imply. "Kairi seems to trust you, and I do too, so I would feel better knowing that she at least has some sort of support."

Big words coming from someone that was seemingly so bent up over this. Was this kid blind?! No, I don't want to take care of your girlfriend who is soon to be the mother of my child!

That is, if it's _really _my child. What? I still have the right to be skeptical!

"Just ask her how she's doing every now and then. She likes that."

Sora sure knew how to inadvertently make someone feel guilty. As he turned to leave, I found myself even more confused than before. When he finds out, he's going to be devastated and will probably end up loathing me for the rest of his life. I wasn't sure if I would be able to handle that. Lying to him was pretty difficult. Striding back over to my desk, I knew that Kairi was watching me.

"What did he say?" She asked nervously. I waved it off.

"Nothing. Just finish your test."

I had never met anyone like Sora. Although he seemed to care a lot about Kairi, he was also pretty stubborn, and sometimes his excessive worrying even came across as annoying. He was overprotective to a fault and definitely didn't know when to give up. I could only imagine how volatile their arguments were. It was a bunch of drama that I didn't want or _need _in my life, and I wasn't sure how it was going to affect me, or the child in the future.

Maybe I should just let Sora take on the fatherly role. He seemed to have the motivation, despite the anger he so deliberately displayed.

No…

If the child ends up being mine, then it would only right for me to be there. Like Vanitas said, I didn't have to get involved with her. The nuclear family wasn't all that common anymore, anyway. There were lots of blended families out there, and we no longer had to get married just for the sake of the child. That wasn't something I was planning, but I still wanted to be there for him or her. If Kairi and Sora wanted to be together, I guess I wouldn't have a problem with it as long as the child knew who their father was and identified me as such. Although I preferred to be living in the same house, I knew that it wasn't likely to happen. With the exception of Vanitas, the father usually didn't win when it came to cases like that.

"Here," Kairi said, interrupting my thoughts as she held the paper out to me. "I'm done."

"Already? That was fast," I said as I took it and looked over it. "I'll grade it now." I straightened up and started going through her answers. Kairi stood there in silence. My eyes widened as I scanned over the page.

Whoa.

Not only did she get twenty-three out of twenty-five questions right, she even spotted one of _my _own mistakes that not even I had noticed.

"I think you meant something else there," she said, pointing directly to it.

"Yeah, um, wow," I said, still stunned. Looking up at her, she merely shrugged once more. I wrote her grade down and handed the test to her in awe. "Why haven't you been showing me the same potential until now?"

"I've had other things on my mind. Besides, if I want to give this baby any sort of decent life, I'm going to have to start acting like I actually care."

This was astounding. I didn't know she had it in her.

"So… you're going to stay in school?"

"I think so. I'm going to try. Don't take my word for it."

A smile stretched across my face. "That's good." Kairi headed for the door, but before exiting, she turned slightly.

"By the way, I think I'm going to schedule that prenatal appointment sometime within the next two weeks… so… if you want to come…"

Oh, right.

"Yeah, uh, sure."

"Okay. Just let me know what your schedule is later," she said before walking out.

I didn't know what to expect anymore.

o-o-o

As the week went by, I found myself getting more comfortable with the class again. I had to train my mind not to think so much, just like I had to do after Namine died. Granted, that was much harder to accept at the time, but even this was pretty bad. It was easier when Kairi wasn't around, obviously.

The appointment was scheduled for tomorrow morning. Kairi said it was the only time she could get. She and Sora seemed to at least be on talking terms again, but he wasn't being very affectionate to her. He would just walk beside her with his hands in his pockets, staring straight ahead as he pursed his lips together in a thoughtful manner. Kairi wasn't too talkative, but when she did speak, it was usually one or two words at a time. I guess they felt that they were taking the necessary steps to reconciliation, and actually, I was happy for them. The only thing that bothered me was what Sora would think of me when he found out the truth. As I followed them over to the University Center that morning, I could hear a little of what they were saying.

"So, are you going to keep it?" Sora asked glumly. Kairi nodded slowly and avoided his gaze. "I guess my next question is… what about you and me?"

"I don't know, Sora."

Ouch, right in the heart.

As much as I wanted to listen, I decided to detour through the side doors and stop eavesdropping. It wasn't my business what Sora and Kairi decided to do with each other. I really needed to stop caring. Just before I entered the cafeteria, I heard my name being called in the distance.

"Ventus!"

Upon looking back, I saw Principal Eraqus heading in my direction as he waved his hand happily in the air. He caught up to me.

"Hello, sir," I greeted, a little intimated by his overly excited manner.

"How are your classes going so far?"

"Uh, they're going pretty well, I suppose."

"So I saw!" He exclaimed, slamming his hand into my back and nearly knocking me over in the process. After regaining my balance, I let out a courteous laugh and started walking away from the cafeteria with him. "I looked up the grades that you posted the other day and I have to wonder, have you been going easy on them or something?"

"No, sir. I've just been my… normal self," I responded, stumbling over those last several words.

"That's impressive," he beamed as we turned the corner and entered the main lobby area. "I don't think any other teacher here has a higher mark-up than you do."

Okay, you could stop exaggerating now. There were plenty of other great teachers here at the university. I didn't know why he singled me out so much. I was just doing my job. However, all I did was nod and thank him for thinking so highly of me.

"That's why I want you to be the spokesperson when Channel Five news comes tomorrow," Eraqus added.

"Tomorrow?" I questioned. "Um, what time? I kind of… have plans…"

"Plans?" Eraqus asked, blinking a few times as he stared at me in disbelief. "They'll be here around ten thirty. They want to do interviews and talk about the success of the students at the school."

Kairi's appointment was at ten. I simply couldn't.

"I'm sorry, I'm very flattered by your offer, but I'm going to have to decline. I have to—"

"Nonsense! You'll be here, right?" He pleaded, blatantly disregarding my rebuttal.

"But I—"

"I knew you would come through! Meet me here in the lobby a few minutes before ten thirty!" He said before hurrying off. Did he not know how to listen?! I stood, dumbfounded as to what in the world just occurred. Although I didn't accept his offer, I still felt like it was mandatory to show up tomorrow, regardless of any previous commitments.

Great. I went back to the cafeteria and ordered some food. Riku and a few of his buddies were sitting at a table nearby.

"Teach! What's up?" Riku shouted. I pretended not to hear him, but that was kind of hard considering he was pretty much right next to the register. Equipped with an uneasy grin, I waved to him and tried to walk off, but my attempt to escape was futile as the overly exuberant younger man hurried over to me.

"Hey, Riku," I said unenthusiastically. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yeah, actually, there is. I'm applying for this job that requires a teacher's recommendation, and who better to ask than someone as noble and caring as you?"

Oh, stop already.

"What job would that be?"

"Some state job. I get to research stuff if I get it."

"In other words, you don't know exactly what it entails?"

"Not really, but that's what training is for. Could you give me a good recommendation? Please?"

My reputation preceded me.

"I'll think about it," I simply answered. "You'll have to show me you're willing to work harder, though."

"Of course! This is the job of a lifetime!"

Yeah, the mystery job that you don't even know that premise of will lead you far, young grasshopper. He skipped back over to his table. I guess I should have been proud, but I couldn't help but question that guy's mentality. He didn't exactly convince me that he was cut out for some corporate job, but at least he had the passion to go along with all of that ego.

I had way more important things to worry about.

o-o-o

Remember how Hermione used time skipping portals to make it to all of her classes in one day? That was the power that I wished I had right about now. I definitely wasn't going to ditch Kairi, but I also had obligations to the school that I couldn't seem to get out of no matter how hard I tried. I had a feeling that this appointment would last way longer than twenty minutes, so I hoped that by getting there about fifteen minutes earlier, that we would be able to be seen at an earlier time. My hopes were tarnished, however, because we were still called back just a few minutes before ten. I was once again the supportive teacher, a role that I had to exercise with caution in order to avoid any sort of suspicion. Dr. Gainsborough asked Kairi a lot of questions pertaining to her medical history, as well as if she knew anything about the father's.

I was a pretty healthy guy, but unfortunately, colon cancer ran in my family. That was all I really knew of, but of course, I couldn't mention that.

"Have you started taking the vitamins?" Dr. Gainsborough asked.

"Yes," Kairi answered.

After a collage of questions, it was already nearing ten thirty. Although I hated it, the involuntary commitment I made to the principal would have to be broken. This was very difficult for Kairi and I had already promised that I would be here. Now that she was nearly eight weeks along, it was time to have the very first ultrasound. I was asked whether or I wanted to participate in this, and although I was reluctant, Kairi insisted to them that I be there. Dr. Gainsborough led us into the dim room and helped Kairi onto the narrow bed. She made herself comfortable on the pillow and gave me an anxious look before turning back to the computer screen and pulling the sheet over herself. As the sonographer prepared the items and washed her hands, we waited in silence.

"Thank you for being so patient," she began as she sat in the chair and clicked a few things on the computer. "My name is Xion and I'll be doing your ultrasound. Are you excited?"

"Um, a little," Kairi said, but I could sense the fear in her voice. Even my nerves were getting the best of me, and I was having trouble focusing on the screen while Xion prepared the jelly scanner. (What were those things called?)

"Now, this jelly is a little cold, so don't be too alarmed," Xion said. "Let me give you a few towels so we don't get any on your clothes." She got up and brought back several towels. Kairi tucked them in and lifted her shirt up just far enough for what was needed. Seeing her bare stomach was a little weird for me. Even though it wasn't exactly a private area, the unwanted intimacy of the situation dwelled over me.

Kairi fidgeted a little as soon as the gel touched her skin, but eventually, she got used to it. The image appeared on the screen. I almost didn't want to look.

"Looking good," Xion said cheerfully as she moved the instrument over Kairi's abdomen. She snapped a few pictures from different angles and didn't really talk much. Kairi kept her mouth shut as she watched the screen. Based off of images I saw of Lilah in the womb five years ago, I had a pretty general idea of what I was looking at, but I almost didn't want to believe it.

"Is that… the baby?" Kairi asked, pointing to the small, grape sized image.

"Yes, ma'm!" Xion pointed to the outline. "See here? It doesn't really look like it, but this is the baby's right arm in formation. You can also make out a few toes down here."

Wow. Now I was overwhelmed again. No matter how much I wanted a breather, this fetus was not going to slow down for nothing.

"Now, I'm going to switch to a Doppler. This will allow you to hear the baby's heartbeat if we can pick it up," she said as she pulled another one out and placed it over Kairi's exposed stomach. "If you listen really carefully…" she trailed off as her eyes stuck to the screen. Suddenly, a faint pumping sound was heard. "Oh, there it is! Hear that?"

My lip curled and I became a little shaky as I listened to the steady, amplified heartbeat. I didn't really know how to describe this moment, but for Kairi, it was definitely an emotional experience. She began sniffling as she tried to hold back her tears.

"The heart rate is 145bpm. That's good!"

After Kairi was able to compose herself, she took a few deep breaths before she was able to speak again. "When will I know the sex of the baby?"

"Oh, you have another eight weeks or so to go for that. Remember, whatever is said in here is tentative. The doctor has the final say, but based off of these images, you seem to be doing pretty well! If you want copies of them, please let her know." She said as she put the instrument back into its proper place. "I'm going to let Dr. Gainsborough review the photos and then she will meet you back in the other room." With that, she helped Kairi wipe the jelly and sat her up in the bed. Kairi gave me an uneasy look as she stepped down. Once we got back into the room, it took a few minutes for us to even say anything.

"So, what are you thinking about?" Kairi asked carefully, a bit apprehensive about the results. Sighing heavily, I rubbed the back of my head and shrugged.

"It is what it is." She didn't even question my response. I guess she realized how tough this was for me. I had absolutely no idea how to handle this properly. Glancing at my watch, I was already well past the time to be back at school, but even if I did go, I probably wouldn't be able to function anyway.

A few minutes later, Dr. Gainsborough rejoined us in the room with the scanned images. "Well? What do you think? Pretty neat what technology can do, huh?"

"Y-Yes," Kairi said.

"I bet you want to know your due date," she continued.

I wasn't ready for this.

"I suppose… it would be good to know."

"Well, based on the images, so far I don't see anything wrong. Whatever you're doing, keep it up. Eight weeks is right on target, which means you're already two-thirds through the first trimester."

"Right."

"The baby measures about 1.70 centimeters, which is a pretty normal range. I can clearly see the umbilical cord as well as outlines of hands and feet forming." She reconfirmed this by showing us both where they were on the images. "All things considered, I believe your due date is estimated to be somewhere in mid-November. Let's say November 15th, just to be precise. It may or may not happen on that day, but it's nice to have a little more clarity, isn't it?"

Well, it was late March now. Therefore, I only had about seven months or so until this baby arrived.

"November 15th…" Kairi processed aloud. "Okay."

The pressure was real.

o-o-o

We rode back to the university in silence. It was almost noon and we had spent nearly two hours at the doctor's office. Kairi looked over the images as I drove.

"This is really happening," she mentioned as she traced her finger around the outline. "I'm… really going to be a mother…"

I guess I hadn't really taken the time to ask her how she felt about all of this. To me, it was still pretty surreal. Kairi seemed to feel the same way, and for the first time, we actually had a mutual understanding that this wasn't just going to go away. This was a commitment that we would have to keep for the rest of our lives.

"I guess I'll have to tell my dad," Kairi added. "He's going to be pissed. He already hates Sora enough. He's going to blame him for everything."

I wished I knew of a way to help her with that, but there was nothing I could do.

"Why does he hate Sora?" I asked instead. The kid was basically heaven sent. (Don't ask why I keep referring to him as a kid; I'm not even sure of that myself).

"He doesn't trust him, but then again, he doesn't trust me either."

"I'm sorry."

"Sora used to do a lot of bad things. My dad believed that he had a huge influence over me, which he did, but I never went to some of the lengths that Sora used to go to."

Wait, hold on. Sora, the quintessential poster child for righteousness, had a dark past? Stunned, I sat in silence as she continued to ramble.

"When Sora decided to turn his life around and go to college, my dad still didn't want anything to do with him. They've had an ongoing rivalry for years, and it has really affected the relationship with my father and I."

"That's… surprising."

"Yeah. Sora still has some anger issues. I'll admit, we provoke each other a lot."

"I can tell."

"But despite all of that, I still love him."

"Yeah."

"I just don't think I can give him what he wants, though."

I wasn't really sure why she was telling me this, but I kept quiet and listened anyway. Her eyes watered as she curled up in her seat and looked out the window.

"I'm a horrible person. I really hate myself for doing this to him…" she cried.

Damn it. I was at a loss one again.

"Sora does everything for me. He even promised to stop stealing and whatnot just so he could become responsible and take care of me," Kairi stopped when she realized what she said. "Sorry. Please don't tell anyone what I've told you today. Sora would like to leave that stuff behind."

"Sure, no problem. I guess what matters now is that he's doing better, but, Kairi," I paused as she looked over at me with tears in her eyes. "You're going to have to stop dwelling on stuff that has already happened. What matters now… is this baby. It should come first."

"It's nice that you came with me and all, but I don't think you understand. The only thing I want from you is your half of the bargain. You are the only one in the world that could be the father to this baby. I don't need any pep talks or lectures on how to live my life. I know what I have to do. Just because you're a few years older than me doesn't mean you have it all figured out," she snapped.

"Sorry. I won't say anything else, then," I groaned in annoyance. Kairi stayed quiet for a moment.

"No, I'm sorry," she said in a hushed voice. "I'm just really stressed out."

"I am too. We're just going to have to come up with the best way to work this out for the both of us."

"Yeah, I guess we should," Kairi said as she placed her hand on the door handle. Just before she got out of the car, there was a knock on her window. Kairi gulped as she saw Riku standing there. Even I panicked a little.

"Kairi? What are you doing in his car?" Riku asked as she quickly got out. He leaned over and gave me a bewildered look before going after her.

Shit.

This would be the one time where Riku's ignorance would come in handy. As Kairi hurried down the sidewalk, she held on tightly to the papers in her hands. Riku caught up to her. Upon rolling my window down a little, I could hear them from here.

"What are those?" Riku prodded as Kairi tried to hide them from his view.

"N-Nothing," she said as she took a few steps past him. As much as I wanted to help her, I was paralyzed. Suddenly, I saw Kairi fall to the ground. Her papers, including the images from the ultrasound, scattered all over the pavement. Without a second thought, I quickly got out of my car and raced over to her. Riku held one of the images in his hands.

"Whoa, Kairi, are these yours?"

"N-No, give those back!"

"I'm going to be an uncle?!" Riku exclaimed, ignoring her incessant pleas. I marched right up to him, tore the scan out of his hand and gave it back to Kairi. I was more furious than I should have been.

"Teach, what's your deal?" Riku asked as I helped Kairi gather the rest of her stuff.

"My deal is, this is her business and you're intruding. If she doesn't want to tell you, then back off."

"Damn, well _excuse me_," Riku said and rolled his eyes before walking off. Kairi hugged the papers close to her chest.

"Are you okay?" I asked. She nodded slowly as she checked her surroundings to make sure that she didn't miss anything. Upon inspection of the ultrasound image, she noticed that it was ripped. Her lip trembled as she struggled to fight the tears. Was she really that sensitive?

"He's going to tell everybody. I'm done for," Kairi cried. "Only you and Sora know, but now that Riku saw it…"

"Calm down. He won't tell," I reassured her, but I wasn't even sure myself. Whatever impression that Riku got from this was up in the air and I really had to be on my guard now.

"Sora… Sora can help me…" Kairi said as she desperately pulled out her phone. "Sora will talk to him…" I covered her trembling hand with mine to stop her from making any rash judgments, but in that moment, I was plagued by the tons of possibilities that surrounded us.

Little did I know that this one incident would set off a chain of events that I couldn't even begin to imagine.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** This is the beginning, peeps. Please leave a **review **and let me know what you think! Thanks!


	7. Seven

**A/N:** HOLY PAOPU PUFFS PEOPLE! Look at that gorgeous cover photo, done by the one and only TwilightIsn'tLiterature! (I'm gonna cry forrealz) GO CHECK HER OUT! You'll also notice that I changed the rating, but for different reasons than you might think. Anyway, here I am with the 7th chapter to Chandelier! Please leave a **review** at the end!

o-o-o

**Seven.**

o-o-o

It took a few minutes to calm Kairi down and stop her from making any irresponsible decisions, such as calling Sora and explaining to him that she was alone in a car with me and Riku saw it. Yeah, that would sound really great to him. He may have trusted me to look after her or whatever, but there was a certain line that I couldn't cross when he wasn't around. After we headed over to the plaza just outside of the University Center, we decided to go our separate ways.

"Thanks for coming with me," Kairi said as she stared at the ground and held the papers close. "I hate that the picture got ripped…"

"I'm sure that you can request another copy," I reasoned, but I understood why she was upset about it. "By the way, as much as I hate to say this, Kairi, I don't think that I can accompany you to every single appointment. It will start to look suspicious on my part. I already received several sketchy looks from the nurses today, and Riku… well…"

"…I understand."

"We also have to keep these outside class meetings to a minimum, unless Sora is around or something."

"Yeah." She paused as she tapped her foot several times on the pavement. "Well, I'm… going to go. Sora's waiting for me."

"Hold on," I said before she could leave. I pulled an empty folder out of my briefcase and handed it to her. "Use this; that way, you won't have to hide them like that."

"Oh, thanks," Kairi said as she started putting the doctor's papers inside. With that, she managed a smile and waved before heading off in the other direction. I waved back and strolled over to the University Center. A few cameramen were packing up when I got inside. President Eraqus and Aqua spotted me right away. He didn't look too happy. Once he was done talking with one of the reporters, he came over to me.

"Ventus, where were you?"

Did I really have to explain this?

"I tried telling you that I couldn't make it, but you wouldn't listen." Aqua gave me a sympathetic look. As much as I knew that he was expecting me to be there, my priorities were elsewhere this morning.

"What did you have to do that was possibly more important than this?"

"Uh, I had to take my niece to the doctor," I lied; surprised at how quickly I came up with that. He had no reason not to believe me. Sighing, Eraqus just shook his head and walked off, leaving me there with Aqua. I knew he was disappointed with me, but I did try to tell him. If anything, it was his fault for not listening, but I wasn't one to put blame on others. I shrugged at her and we started heading toward the Communications building where our classrooms were. The past few hours stuck to my mind like super glue, but I tried to put on a smile. Luckily, Aqua wasn't questioning me about it this time.

"I had to fill in for you. I didn't mind doing so, but Eraqus was having trouble because he really wanted you to be the one to talk to the reporters."

"I had other obligations. I tried telling him that. He should have asked me sooner."

"Yeah, but you know how he is. When he's excited about something, there's really no way of getting out of it. I'm on your side, though. I hope your niece is doing okay."

"Y-Yeah, she's fine. She just had an ear infection but they gave her medicine and whatnot."

I really hated lying to her like that, but I figured that I would have to start getting used to doing it.

Wow, I sounded terrible.

"So, are you going to the International Night?" Aqua asked as we entered the building. "They'll have lots of yummy food."

"I wouldn't miss something like that," I chuckled.

"You should invite your friend, if he's free," Aqua said with a wink.

"I could just give you his number. I'm sure he would be delighted to hear from you," I half-way joked. I didn't like being the middle man in anything. Taking myself out of it sounded really nice right now.

"I can't call him out of the blue! That would be too weird." She giggled and blushed a little. We arrived at my classroom. I had to prepare for my afternoon class pretty soon, so we said our goodbyes and I went over to my desk and sat down.

What a hectic last two months, and yet, it's felt like so much longer. I sighed heavily as I settled into my chair.

Reflecting on the last few hours was something that I didn't welcome lightly, but it definitely consumed my mind when I was alone. I could only imagine how Kairi was handling this. Despite everything, we had created a precious, human being that would enter this world by the end of the year. I would have to put on a façade for everyone around me, simply to avoid ridicule, but what about her? She physically carried the weight. I wished that there was _something _I could do so that she didn't have to put up with all of the crap that was yet to come, but other than being occasionally supportive, I couldn't think of anything.

I wasn't even dating this girl and here I was worrying about her a little too much. It wasn't because I suddenly had feelings for her, no, it was because I was a part of the reason this was happening to her. I felt so sorry for her, even though she was the one that put us in this mess. That's right, I was an unwilling participant, obviously. She basically raped me.

Shuddering, I tried to stash that little detail in the back of my mind. There was a double standard when it came to guys being raped, and I didn't want to even think about it. Also, I couldn't take legal action against her, because it would only come back to bite me and ruin any chances for that unborn child to live a normal life. I think I was more stressed about the aftermath of it all, rather than the action itself.

So, did that mean I didn't mind? No. It was rape. R-A-P-E. I just wasn't going to hold her accountable. Maybe I was crazy, but it was the only solution that I could come up with right now.

I dreaded whatever outlandish thoughts were spiraling around in that air-filled head of Riku's, as well. He definitely had the space to allow such things to linger; that, or they could have evaporated by now and he could have completely forgotten about it, but something told me that wasn't likely. The look he gave me upon seeing me in the driver's seat was nothing short of inquisitive.

I looped around to my initial thought. I was all over the place. I guess that was what stress did to me. 1.70cm, faintly distinctive fingers and toes, merely eight weeks old. This fetus had a beating heart and was critically dependent on its mother. It would only to continue to grow as time pushed on, whether we were ready for it or not. The image appeared in my head, causing me to gulp.

I really wished it was Namine instead. Even though she couldn't possibly have children on her own, that would have made this situation so much easier, and I would have actually been excited for it. I had created this small life form that resided so contently within the chambers of its mother's womb, and all I could do was think of how much I regretted it or what sort of lies I would have to tell in order to ensure that it came into a world that it fully deserved...

I suppose that there was no use in crying over spilled milk.

I'm going to be a father.

How I was going to go about this was an entirely different story. I couldn't wait for the day to end. When I went home that day, I went straight to my room. I had to justify my fears with back-up. Just like there was a Student Handbook, there was also a Teacher's Handbook that I stashed away in my bottom desk drawer. I've only read it once in my academic career, and since then it's just been collecting dust. I had to make absolutely sure of what would legally happen to me as a professor of the university if people found out that I impregnated her. I checked the table of contents and flipped to the corresponding page.

_'Student-Teacher relationships.'_

Gosh, this was scary. I stared at the page for moment. I didn't want a relationship with her, but it still fell under the sexual category, even though it was a one-time thing. People wouldn't care what my reasons were; all they would see was a young, pregnant college student that was seemingly abandoned by me. I started skimming over the fancy words that could have just as easily been said in a simpler way until I arrived at the answer I was looking for.

_'Any sort of consensual romantic or sexual relationship between a teacher and student directly or indirectly under them is forbidden and may undermine the professional relationship that the instructor is required to uphold in a classroom setting. This includes any sort of instructing, evaluation, supervising or directly/indirectly determining their academic performance in the University. Such actions violate this policy and the instructor is prohibited from entering a romantic and/or sexual relationship with this student.'_

Directly under? So… if she's not my student anymore, then it's okay? She wasn't even my student when all of this happened…

I'm so confused…

Wait, her name was probably already on my roll by then, since she came the day after. I continued reading through the policies. It even gave examples, but none of them pertained to my particular situation.

_'Revelation of any sort of relationship will result in termination of the instructor from the university.'_

Well, there you have it. Shutting the book, I sat back in my chair and sighed heavily. Even though it said nothing about pregnancy, I felt like that would be even worse. So at least, for this semester, I had to make sure that nobody found out. It was a close call with Riku, but I needed to be way more careful from now on. Just being seen with her too much could raise suspicion among others, no matter how respected I was at the university. Her being in my car was bad enough and actually violated some sort of policy. Riku probably didn't know that, but he obviously wasn't blind. At least when Sora was with us it made it look a little better, but nobody saw us anyway.

Gah, even after she stops taking my class this will be a problem, because people will consider the age of the child…

Do people really pay that much attention, though?

It almost felt like there was no way out of this.

o-o-o

Kairi was late to class that Friday. I was in the middle of a lecture when she came in. She was her usual moody self, but I noticed something was wrong that went beyond her normal, emotional demeanor. Kairi sure did know how to go through all the motions, but something was telling me that today was a little worse than other days. She sat quietly in her desk and didn't look up. I noticed that Riku was watching me a little more, and it definitely made me nervous.

"Anyway, when Radiant Garden found out about this traitor," I continued as I tried not to focus on Kairi as the class dragged on. What was the matter with her this time? I wasn't sure why I cared so much, but for some reason, it was hard for me to see her like this. I started pacing around the classroom as I talked, purposely going up and down the aisles and acting as if nothing was wrong. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that her pale, white skin was adorned with a little more makeup than usual. She had some sort of purplish, bluish mark under her left eye that she tried her hardest to hide it with her hair as she kept her eyes locked on her notes.

Did someone… hit her?

"Mr. Ishida?" Pence called out, snapping me from my reverie.

"Uh, yeah?"

"What do you mean by _intolerance?_"

Intolerance? Oh, wait. The lesson. As I explained to him in more detail, I kept glancing at Kairi here and there.

Once the class was over, I debated on whether to confront her about the bruise underneath her left eye. It was clearly visible, and it really alarmed me a lot more than I cared to admit. Did Sora hurt her? It was crazy to even consider, but when that kid exploded in anger, there was no telling of what he was capable of doing. A faint bluish color shone whenever it hit the light, and I felt obligated to act. However, Riku stalled a little and waited for Kairi. I knew that he could see it too.

"Kairi, want to go to the cafeteria?" He asked.

"I'll meet you there," she said; her voice distant and apathetic. "Sora's coming."

"Alright, if you say so…" He stuck around a little longer before slowly exiting the classroom, not failing to glance back at me before disappearing into the hallway. An exchange between him and Sora was heard in the hallway. Kairi remained in her seat. After everyone else had left, I rose from my desk and took a few steps toward her.

"What happened? Do I need to lock the door to prevent Sora from coming in here?" Even if I didn't think that Sora could possibly do something like this, I could never be too careful. Apparently, he used to do petty crimes and whatnot, so that raised my concern. Kairi shook her head quickly.

"N-No. Sora didn't do this. He would never."

"Who, then?"

She didn't get a chance to respond just yet, because Sora came into the classroom a moment later. I supposed that Riku must have given him a heads up, because he rushed over to her desk and immediately inspected the bruise.

"Kairi, what happened?!" He shouted anxiously as I went over to close the door to allow them some privacy. I, too, was quite interested, obviously. I saw Riku looking back at me as I pulled the door shut, but tried not to pay attention to it. I looked back over to them and waited for Kairi to say something.

"I… told my dad."

Well, damn…

"So… he's hitting you again? What the hell?!" Sora yelled and in a failed attempt to control himself, kicked a desk behind him, then after a few breaths, gave me an apologetic look and moved it back into place before taking a seat on top of it. Um, okay then. Taking Kairi's hand in his, he brought it to his lips and kissed it softly as he stared intensely at her. I guess all of their problems had vanished at this point; he definitely forgave her a lot easier than I thought he would. He squeezed her hand tightly and seemed as if he was desperately trying to figure out what to do.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" He asked, a little calmer this time. Kairi shook her head slowly. We all stood in silence for a moment. I definitely didn't know what to say to this, but it really was sickening for a father to hit their own child. Also, Sora mentioned the word, _again_, so that was even more unsettling.

"He said… he hopes that I have a miscarriage," Kairi added chillingly as tears formed in her eyes.

That was just downright heartless.

"Geeze, he's a fucking prick. I can't allow you to go home," Sora said sternly, and actually, I agreed with him. "But… you can't stay with me, either. My parents wouldn't stand for it, even if they knew the reasons…" Sora ran his fingers through his hair frustratingly as he tried to come up with some sort of solution. "Would you mind staying at Riku's dorm?"

"No," Kairi answered quickly, then realized she needed to clarify, "I don't want to."

"But Kairi, I don't want you to—"

"I'm not staying with Riku!" She shrieked, surprising us both. Maybe she was stressed and upset, but that was a little bit of an overreaction. I guess I never gave Sora enough credit. Even though she basically tore his heart to pieces, he was still trying to find any way possible to help her. I didn't know if he was just stupid or a really great guy, but he obviously wasn't ready to leave Kairi in the dust. When he turned to me, I immediately knew what was going to come out of his mouth.

Hell no.

"No. Don't even think about it," I said before he could ask the question. He sighed and turned back to Kairi.

"It was a longshot. I guess I will try to convince my parents. They should be able to understand, right?"

Kairi almost seemed hopeful as she looked up into her boyfriend's eyes.

(Well, I just assumed that they were together again).

"Regardless, you're not going home except to retrieve your stuff. I won't let him hurt you," Sora promised.

How nice of him. As Sora held onto her books in one hand, he held her close with his other as they headed for the door. Before leaving, he stopped and faced me.

"Hey, Mr. Ishida?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you like to come to the cafeteria with us?"

Was he really asking me this right now? I was pretty sure that Kairi wasn't in any mood for social interaction, and frankly, I-

Kairi gave me the most pleading look I had ever seen.

Damn it. Once again, I found myself trotting behind them like a lost puppy. I didn't understand why I couldn't refuse these two. It was even worse for me to be hanging out with Sora; as if I _didn't _get the woman that you're hopelessly in love with pregnant! Regardless, Kairi seemed to want me there, so I felt like I didn't have a choice in the matter. We entered the University Center.

Great; and joining us from the far table is none other than Riku!

"Kairi, are you hungry? I'll get you anything you want," Sora told her as we all situated ourselves into a booth. Riku took a seat next to me and Kairi and Sora locked arms from across the table. She refused his offer for food and we all just sat there in an awkward silence.

"Alright, I guess I'll start," Riku voiced, actually sounding serious for once. "Kairi, I hope that you're okay. Sora will take good care of you."

"I don't want to talk about it," she shushed him, averting her eyes downward. Sora rubbed her back gently in support.

I needed to change the subject. My fear of being right next to this guy was getting to me and I wanted a distraction. I was sure that Kairi and Sora were looking for one as well, hence why they invited me here like this.

"So… Sora, remind me again what your major is?"

Of course I decide to go with the most mundane question ever.

"I have a double major in History and Business," Sora answered as he kept a close eye on Kairi. She probably didn't want to talk much, so I just turned to Riku.

"Yours?"

"Communications is my calling," Riku responded. "Kairi's doing the same."

"Oh," I said as I glanced over at her. Honestly, I didn't really know anything about her. In fact, what was her last name? I should look over my roll again.

"I've decided what I want to do, Mr. Ishida," Sora spoke up. "I want to be an awesome teacher like you."

"R-Really?" I asked, not really sure how to respond. Kairi kept her head down and Riku just watched the rest of the cafeteria. Sora managed a smile as he nodded.

"Yeah. I've realized that I really like helping people. You've inspired me to take that extra step."

Don't thank me just yet, kid.

"Sora, stop it," Kairi snapped. We all gave her confused looks, but I knew that she was definitely feeling the guilt from this. "You said you wanted to be an engineer or something."

"I know, but now I want to be a teacher," Sora repeated. "It just seems like it fits me more. Don't you guys think?" I shrugged in response, but I guess Kairi felt that this was a bad idea after all. She stood and scooted out of the booth before anyone could question it. As she hurried off, Sora went after her, leaving me alone with Riku. He moved to the other side of the table.

This was intense, folks.

"So, teach, is it true?" Riku asked. I gave him a wary look; I wasn't sure what he was referring to. "Is Kairi really pregnant?"

"Um, that's not my business, nor yours. I don't know."

Shouldn't he be more worried about her black eye?

"But, dude! She was in your car! It's a little weird, but whatever." Pouting, he leaned back and crossed his arms. "You think Sora knows?"

"Again, I don't know."

Eventually, he ended up shrugging it off. "Oh well. I guess I'll have to ask her myself on a better day. By the way, have you gotten around to that recommendation letter yet? I have to turn in the application by noon."

It took me a moment to process this. "Um, alright, I'll work on it now, then."

"Awesome! I'll meet up with you before then, k? Thanks!" Just before he was about to take his triumphant leave, he suddenly turned and gave me a super stern look. I'll admit, I was a bit intimidated by this.

"By the way, I'm watching you," he said, and then completed it with the gestures and everything. After a moment of bewilderment on my part, Riku simply laughed it off and hurried out of the cafeteria.

What the hell?

Riku, the airhead. I've never been more thankful for stupidity in my life. After my bullshitted attempt at a decent recommendation, I ended up going right back to my classroom and staying there for the remainder of the day.

o-o-o

I was having more and more trouble sleeping at night as time went on. Stricken with countless of endless possibilities, I was diving deeper into a bottomless pit of uncertainty. Everything I did nowadays seemed half-assed, and I was having trouble accepting that this will be my life for many years to come. I wasn't good at welcoming change, since I was so set in my ways. I think a few gray hairs had formed in the past two and a half months from all of the stress that I had accumulated. As I stepped into the shower, I stood, motionless for several moments before actually realizing I was there.

I'm going to be a father. I don't love the mother and I don't know what to do.

Now would have been a better time than any for Namine to answer me. I really needed her guidance right now, but she was more silent than ever.

I felt absolutely lost without her. Leaning against the shower wall, I finally realized that the water was cold and uncomfortable. What the hell was wrong with me? Was I _that _out of it? I really needed to get a grip. This was starting to take over my entire life. As I adjusted the water to a lukewarm temperature, I was strung back into my train of thought.

I needed a way…

I already figured that Kairi and I could not spend time together outside of class. I couldn't go to every appointment and I definitely couldn't give her any sort of special advantage over anyone else, but how could I do that when I was so focused on her well-being, and ultimately, the baby's? I guess I could write it off as just being worried about the baby, but I couldn't help but think that maybe I actually cared more about Kairi than I had originally anticipated. Again, it wasn't romantic in the least bit—it was because we had a connection now—a reason to be involved with each other.

Shit. This was exactly what Vanitas had strongly advised against. Tread lightly. As I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, I wrapped the towel around myself and then proceeded to finish up my morning routine before heading off to school for another restless day.

I guess I'll just have to go with the flow and hope for the best.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** A lot of accepting on Ven's part, huh? I've noticed that same of you tend to confuse him with Roxas, and even I do sometimes! XD So, it's okay. Anyway, what did you think of the rating change? What does it mean for the fic now? Only I know, but feel free to speculate. Please **review** and let me know what you think of the new and improved cover photo, again, made by **Sophie-Lou93 **on deviantArt especially for this fic!

Also, I have a small treat for you. These are some of the authors in the KH fandom that I wholeheartedly recommend! Please go and check them out and make sure you leave them lovely reviews! They definitely deserve it!

**TwilightIsn'tLiterature: **"**I'm Not Supposed To Love You" **and "**The Consequence**" are two of my favorite fics from this lovely lady. Not to mention she's super artistically talented! Check her out!

**TheNotSoTalentedPoet**: He has his own style that definitely can capture your attention when you read his fic, **Noise Pollution**. It deserves more than the few reviews it has received! Go give it a read! I've read it and I'm about to go and review it soon.

**Princess-Xion: **This chick is super amazing. **Finding Hikari **is finally complete, so go and finish that if you haven't already! Also, she has a new fic called **Guardians **that's pretty good so far! If you don't know already, her fics are a little more on the darker side, but they're really good.  
**  
Painted With a Palette: **She is so awesome and I just love her fic, **Lover's Internal Quarrel**! If you haven't read it yet, go do so! She has a wonderful way of describing things and her humor is very similar to mine! She's also just an awesome person in general.

**Ethereallove15: **I was INSTANTLY hooked on her newest RokuNami fic called **Mistake Me**! Like seriously, people, it's pretty good in my opinion. It's written a little differently from the fics I read before, but I can totally relate to it (except for some stuff, lol!) It's not rated M for nothing, just to warn you. Haha!

Also, have you read my** collab fic **with** BlissfulNightRain **yet? It's called** Sex Ed **and it's the hottest thing since French toast. Sora is teaching Sex Ed. That's really all I can say. We are slowly but surely working on the next chapter!

If you do decide to read any of these wonderful author's works, let them know that I sent you there!

**Heart Station chapter 19:** 30% as of 4/6/15**  
**  
That's all for now!


	8. Eight

**A/N:** Hey again! I drew a quick sketch of Lilah that I posted on my deviantArt, so if you want an idea of what she looks like, check it out! It's not colored or anything special, though. :P

Enjoy chapter eight! It's extra-long just because there's plenty that happens. Please **review** when you're done! It would be greatly appreciated! :D

o-o-o

**Eight**.

o-o-o

By the end of the following week, I heard that Kairi had successfully moved in with Sora at his parent's house. The black eye had faded into what would become yet another repressed memory. I didn't dare to ask her about it; I just hoped that it didn't happen again. She seemed to be doing a little better, anyway. I continued to stash this pregnancy into the far corners of my mind as I continued the lesson. I noticed that I had not been as 'creative' lately, and the student's interests were definitely decreasing. There wasn't really much I could do about it.

I was also trying to spend more time doing other things, just to rid myself of the constant stress that so eagerly took over. The other day, as an early birthday present, I stopped by a pet store and browsed for a suitable canine companion, but I wasn't able to find one. I was going back today just to check once more. It was probably out of desperation, but it wasn't like I didn't have the means to take care of an animal. After I was done with all of my classes for the day, I headed across campus to where my car was parked.

"Ventus?"

Upon hearing my name, I turned, but it wasn't who I expected to see. Kairi stood there, grasping her bag tightly as she ambled toward me. How did this girl always manage to find me? Was she a stalker? Running into her so much was getting really old now.

"I'm sorry, is it okay to call you that outside of class?"

"I suppose it's alright," I said as I cautiously checked my surroundings. We might as well have been on a first name basis, at least when we weren't within the perimeters of the classroom. "Did you need something?"

"Actually, yes. Sora is at soccer practice and I'm not really feeling well. I was wondering if you could take me over to his house."

Was she crazy?

"Kairi, we really can't—"

"Please?" She persisted. "Everything is making me nauseous right now. I don't want to wait for Sora."

This woman is going to be the death of me.

I guess the pet store would have to wait. I hurriedly led her to my car and left the parking lot, hoping that no one saw us. Keeping a watchful eye on the road, my nerves reached new heights as some people glanced over at us driving by. Kairi had her face hidden behind her hand as she covered her forehead and looked as if she was going to be sick.

"P-Pull over," she commanded just as we were about to enter the main road. There was a stop light, a car next to me and literally no way for me to do that right now. I saw her quickly covering her mouth with one hand as she reached for the door handle and I panicked. As soon as the light turned green, I sped past the car next to me and entered the next lane over so I could make it to the side of the road just in time. Kairi didn't hesitate to fling the door open and hurl all over the pavement.

Oh… gross.

I almost felt sick myself.

She slowly shifted her way back into her seat, leaning her head back and taking deep breaths as she tried to relax.

"Um, do you feel better?"

"A little," she stated hoarsely. "It's been like this all day."

"Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"No. Just take me to Sora's… please. His parent's house is on Merriwhether Lane."

That was two streets over from where I lived.

"I thought he lived in the Sunset Apartments?" I asked as I put the car back into drive.

"That's his friend Tidus' place. He goes out of town a lot, so Sora stays there occasionally to watch his cats," Kairi responded. "Personally, I hate cats."

"I'm not too fond of them, either. I was actually going to the pet store today to find a dog, but—"

"Take me with you," Kairi intervened, and I immediately regretted ever mentioning it. "Sora's parents don't like me much and all I would do at that house is lock myself in Sora's room. It can get boring… and lonely."

It didn't seem like Kairi was liked by anyone but Sora and Riku. I almost felt sorry for her again. She was also in dire need of a breath mint, but I wasn't going to tell her that. She may try to kill me if I did. Didn't pregnancy mess with the hormones or whatever? She was probably twice as irritable.

"But Kairi, don't you feel sick? Also, it's probably not the best place for a pregnant woman. There are a lot fumes and—"

"I'm a little better now," she cut in as she straightened up in her seat. "You act like we're in some sort of relationship. We could say we just ran into each other," Kairi reasoned, but I wasn't buying it.

"I'm just really afraid of people finding out. If we're together too much, they're going to think something is going on. Besides, _running into each other _would work, except we'll be getting out of the same car."

"That's why I duck and you get out first."

"Listen to yourself," I grumbled, then followed with a sigh. I couldn't believe I was discussing this. However, I always found myself giving in. I guess the fact that she was possibly carrying my child made me into some sort of sympathetic bitch, because I ended up heading toward the pet store, fully aware of the risk that accompanied it. Kairi seemed to be fully content that she was getting her way. The next ten minutes passed without much conversation. As I pulled into the store parking lot, she readied herself for the performance by slouching down as far as she comfortably could. My mouth parted a little in astonishment as I tried to come to terms with it.

Did she do these sort of secretive acts often? She was great at lying, so there wasn't really a doubt in my mind that she would be used to this by now, and that wasn't a good thing at all. As I parked into a spot off near the back, I stayed there for a moment and looked down at her.

"Really?"

"I can't stay like this forever. It hurts my back. Hurry up."

She was serious right now.

I pulled the key out of the ignition and stepped out. Why did I bring her here? Did I have some sort of weak spot for her that was controlling my every move? Yeah, I pitied her, but seriously, she seemingly had me whipped and we weren't even dating!

Ugh. I would _never _date her. Not in a million years!

I took one last look at my car before entering the store. It was time to pretend like none of this bothered me in the slightest.

"Hello, welcome to Pet Lovers. May I help you with anything?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm looking for a dog to adopt," I told her, but my mind was focused more on the girl emerging from my car. I could see Kairi walking toward the door with her face in her phone. She saw me just before the associate led me into another aisle and over to the same area that I was a couple days before. Kennels lined the walls with dogs of every shape, size and breed and there were way more today than there were the other day.

"You're in luck, we have about thirty new dogs that were just rescued from the shelter. Take a moment to look around and if there are any that you may be interested in that you have questions about, I'll be right outside," she said. As she was explaining some other things to me, Kairi walked up to us. She pretended not to know me as she waited for the associate to notice her. The associate didn't know any better, though.

"I would like to look as well," she said innocently. She unlocked the glass door and we both stepped into the room. There were about three aisles filled with loud, barking dogs and I was already feeling a bit overwhelmed. I wanted to rescue them all.

This was going to be difficult.

"What kind of dog were you looking for?" Kairi asked as she put her hands behind her back and walked down the first aisle. Suddenly, she squealed, throwing me completely off guard as she meandered toward a Westie. "Look! How cute is this one?!"

She got over her sickness fast.

"Uh, Kairi, please don't put your fingers in the cage. It may bite," I warned, but it went unnoticed as she reached into the cage and stroked the white dog's head. I walked up next to her and inspected the dog's information. Kairi gleamed as she continued to pet it.

"You may not realize it, but the kind of dog that you get affects me too," Kairi said in a more serious tone as she rose to her feet. "I have to approve of the dog that I want my child to be around. That's why I wanted to come."

"Don't you think I'm taking that into consideration?"

"I'm just saying."

We browsed a little more. I wasn't seeing any that particularly interested me, that is, until I came across a small, Welsh Pembroke Corgi on the far end of the second aisle. He was sleeping soundly in his cage, but his ears perked up when he sensed our presence. His tail wagged slightly, but he seemed a little unsure.

Something about this dog sat right with me.

"This is the one," I said, but it was overshadowed by a higher pitched, more excited voice at the very same time. Kairi and I exchanged puzzled looks when we noticed our unison.

Did we just agree on something?

"Ventus, look at him! He just _wants _you to take him home!" Kairi exclaimed as she eagerly read the information. "He's been moving from shelter to shelter for six months! Poor thing…"

His name was Caesar.

He was playful, good around kids and other pets and he was well trained. Although he was about three years old, I still felt an intense attachment to him right off the bat. I didn't need a puppy, anyway. A baby would be more than enough to handle at one time. I knelt down and carefully stuck my fingers through the bars. A little cautious, Caesar sniffed my hand first before allowing me to touch him.

In a weird way, he almost reminded me of myself.

"He would probably do really well around the baby," Kairi stated as she reached in to scratch under his neck. His tail wagged rapidly and he succumbed to the attention he received from both of us. He was definitely enjoying himself now, and I couldn't help but smile as I confirmed the decision in my head. Just like Kairi said, this was the one. Happy early birthday to me. Kairi ran off excitedly to track down the associate. Although she wasn't ever going to be living with me, I guess I could understand where she was coming from. The child was going to stay at my house at least once a week, so of course, as much as I hated to admit it, she did have a say in the matter.

Once the associate got him out, it only strengthened my decision.

"He just got here yesterday. He's kind of shy at first, but as you can see, that doesn't last long. He seems to really like you two!"

Whoa, don't make this seem like we were here together. Kairi sort of ruined that when she went to get her. I guess I should have been more attentive, but I was too busy paying attention to this adorable creature before me.

"Can we take him home today?"

Kairi, just shut your mouth! You're not making this any better! By saying _we_, you're implying that we live under the same roof!

I wanted to yell at her for such a mindless act, but of course, I couldn't.

"I just need you guys to fill out some paperwork, and then you should be all set."

I can never win.

Regardless, I was excited to be rescuing a dog. Walking out of there with my new best friend was bittersweet, but I knew that the others would eventually find loving homes. After filling out tons of background information and whatnot, I handed it to the associate, along with a payment and she processed it into the computer. Kairi waited outside of the office and played with Caesar.

I had never seen her look so happy before. Slightly surprised, I signed a few more things before finishing up the rest of the adoption requirements. I thanked her for being so helpful and then made my way to the door. Caesar saw me approaching and happily rushed over to me, jumping up on his stubby, hind legs in attempt to reach me. Kairi giggled some as she watched.

This was weird, but thankfully, the dog was distracting me.

"You have to buy him food, bowls, toys and treats now!" Kairi pointed out.

"I realize this," I said as I locked the leash onto his bland, blue collar. We headed onto the main floor and looked around for the dog food. I let Kairi hold the leash as I went off to get a cart.

I was walking on thin ice right now. Things were going too well so far. I really-

"Mr. Ishida?"

…I _knew _it.

Olette stood behind me, clad in the pet store's work attire with an appreciative smile on her face. Kairi saw this interaction and quickly took Caesar over to the other side of the store. I tried to play it off and act casually as I retrieved a cart.

"Well, hello. I didn't know that you worked here," I said, coming across as more nervous than anything. Again, I have to work on this.

"Yeah, I work here part-time. Did you just get here? I can help you find things, if you'd like."

"That would be… great." I spotted Kairi and Caesar over by the fish tanks as I followed behind Olette. "I just got a new dog and I'm not really sure of which food brand to get him."

"Aww, did you rescue one from here?"

"Yeah," I said, hoping that Kairi kept her distance. "He's three years old."

"Oh, which one?"

"Uh," I wasn't sure how to tell her this with Kairi and Caesar walking around nearby, but I figured she was smart enough not to be seen. "A corgi."

"Caesar?" She exclaimed. Of course she would know the exact dog I was talking about. I nodded uneasily. "Aww, he's a sweetheart! In that case, I think it's best that you go with the _Blue_ brand. He seems to really like it," she suggested as she pointed to navy bag on the top shelf.

"Well, if that's what you recommend," I said as I reached up and grabbed the heavy bag for her. After looking over it a little, I quickly set it into my cart and went over to the next area. Olette showed me a bunch of different options from dog beds to bowls, to flea treatment and everything else under the sun, but of course, I was just preoccupied with keeping her from seeing Kairi. I just picked out whatever she suggested and moved along. Even though she didn't see us walk in together, there was an off chance that it may come across as-

"Mr. Ishida?" Kairi's voice reverberated behind me. Caesar hurried toward me and wagged his tail excitedly. Olette recognized the dog right away.

Shit.

_"What are you doing?!"_ I mouthed to her as Olette's attention averted to Caesar for a brief moment before focusing back on the situation with skeptical eyes. She was definitely confused, but I was sure there was a way out of this… right?

I knew this was a terrible idea. I couldn't trust Kairi at all.

"You asked me to hold onto your new dog, but then you just ditched us?" Kairi questioned in a rather innocent manner.

"Well, I… I couldn't find you. You kinda walked off, but I trusted that he was in safe hands," I answered. Olette's suspicions lingered, but thankfully, she didn't think on them for too long.

"How are you, Kairi?" She asked, but she wasn't very pleased to see her.

"I'm great. I was just here to get some cat food when I ran into Mr. Ishida."

She was such a natural liar.

"Hey!" The associate from earlier chimed, sending us both into an internal frenzy. "How is little Caesar enjoying his new owners?"

No! It is NOT plural!

This was insane!

"Uh, m-ma'm, I think you may have misunderstood," I said nervously as I struggled to come up with a response. "It is my dog and my dog alone…" I was probably shaking because I was panicking so much. Olette was no Riku, and she definitely knew that something was up. Kairi didn't come up with any saving words of grace either, so I had to think of something. Taking the leash from her, I said, "Um, okay, we have to go—"

"Mr. Ishida?" Olette called after me before I could leave the aisle. Kairi remained with her. The other associate just gave me a baffled look.

I was freaking out.

"You dropped your phone," Kairi said as she held it in her hands. She came over and held it out to me. Olette and the other girl just watched as I took it from her. My overreactions weren't making this any better for either of us and I really needed to just calm down. Kairi walked past me and headed for the door. Caesar just titled his head cutely as he sat. I was at a loss and Olette's contemplative gaze only made me even more uneasy.

The other associate was distracted by another customer, so she hurried off, leaving me alone with Olette.

"Okay, then," she stated as she came closer. "Anyway, are you going to get the other stuff today?"

"Y-Yeah, sure," I said as I directed Caesar behind her. After I got a few toys and the rest of the supplies, she met me over at the register. She was a lot quieter now, and I wasn't really sure what to think, so I just kept my mouth shut. After she was done ringing me up, I handed her my card and waited for the transaction to go through. Kairi was sitting in the passenger's seat of my car. She looked like she was on the phone.

She was just as bad at this as I was.

"Here's your card back," Olette interrupted as she handed it back to me. She sounded a bit distant. "I'll see you in class on Friday."

"Yeah. Have a nice rest of the day," I mustered as I pulled Caesar along. She watched as I left, but eventually she was led off somewhere by a customer. I let Caesar use the bathroom before putting him into the back seat and loading the rest of the stuff into the trunk of the car. Kairi pet him happily as I did this. She really didn't have a clue. I shut the trunk and went over to the driver's seat.

This could _not _happen again.

"That was close!" Kairi said, thrilled as I got comfortable.

"This is not something to be excited about. Olette isn't stupid like Riku."

"Oh, come on, where's your sense of adventure?"

"Are you crazy?" Just then, Caesar barked.

Well, I'm glad that you agree with me, buddy. We're going to get along just fine.

"That was fun!"

"If that's your idea of fun, then you seriously need to get your brain checked. There's no telling what sort of conclusions are swirling around in her head."

"Maybe if you didn't freak out so much it would not have been so suspicious," she snapped.

"Well, I'm sorry, I have integrity and I really don't like putting on a façade to appease other people."

"That's exactly what you're doing, though. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You're full of shit."

"Damn, I begrudgingly let you come along with me and even after that little fiasco, I'm still going to take you where you need to go. Why are you so ungrateful all the time? You're really getting on my nerves!"

"Good!"

How the hell could she have changed so quickly? This was maddening!

"I'll just walk," Kairi said as she angrily reached for the door handle. After some quick thinking on my part, I used child lock to keep her from going anywhere. Yeah, that was bad, but I wasn't about to allow a pregnant woman to walk alone, especially when it would be getting dark soon. "What the hell is your problem?!" She yelled.

"I'm taking you to Sora's," I said simply as I put the car in reverse.

"Let me out right now," she demanded.

"No."

Caesar lay in the back seat and watched our heated exchange in silence. Kairi huffed and ignored me for the better half of the trip, but I welcomed the silent treatment with open arms. I hated arguing of any sort, but somehow, if I wasn't wallowing in pity for her, I was fed up. I had so many mixed emotions at this point and I really wasn't sure how I was going to put up with her for so many years to come. As I parked on the side of the road in front of Sora's house, I turned off the child lock and fully expected some sort of gratitude, but of course, none was given. Kairi pet Caesar one last time before getting out and slamming the car door shut.

And here I thought this was actually going well for a while. I guess I shouldn't keep my hopes up.

With a heavy sigh, I still waited until she made it safely into the house before leaving. I turned a few corners and arrived at my house a minute later. Taking the leash, I let Caesar out of the back seat and walked around with him a bit so he could explore his new front yard.

"Do you see what I go through?" I said to the oblivious dog as he sniffed around in the well-manicured lawn. "She has absolutely no respect for me, yet I continue to treat her with some sort of…" I paused when I realized I was having a conversation with an animal. He peed on a bush in the front yard and then happily moved on.

Oh well.

o-o-o

Seeing Olette on that Friday was a little nerve-wracking, but she seemed to be back to her normal self. She greeted me when she came in and she did it without any uncomfortable vibes, at least for now. Kairi came strolling in just before it was time for class to start, and it looked as if she was in a better mood. Olette didn't hesitate to eye her, though, as she passed by.

"Alright, time to get started," I announced as I began to look over my roll. So far, only a few students were missing but it wasn't that big of a deal. Riku didn't make it today. As I set the roll aside, I crossed my arms and leaned against my desk. "As you all know, April is coming to a close, which means we only have about three weeks left in the semester. That means your final exams are just around the corner, but fear not. They won't be _too _long, fortunately. Also, I would like to let you know now that there will be exemptions for the exam rewarded to those with an A. You'll find that out a week before finals."

I always did this. It was my way of showing appreciation for those that worked hard over the semester. Why make them take the final when they were clearly going to pass it anyway? They had other classes to work on and as much of a challenger as I was, I didn't want to overload them and waste their time.

"How are those semester projects coming along?" I asked. The class was quiet. "Uh oh, do I need to be worried?"

"Mr. Ishida," Selphie said as her hand slowly went up, "I started writing mine, but I haven't gotten anywhere with it. I know what my major is and all, but I'm really not sure of what I want to do."

"Let me ask you this, Selphie. What do you _like _to do? You don't have to answer me, but it may help in giving you some sort of start. You can research jobs online for some ideas. It doesn't have to be a final decision, but just something to get it going. Does anyone else have questions about the semester project?"

"Yeah, what is it? You never told me," Kairi spoke up. Everyone directed their attention to her in shock. Even I was little taken aback by it.

It's not my job to keep you updated…

"Uh, well, I guess you're going to have to get with one of your classmates."

"Why? We're all here now. Just give me the gist on it. I could probably finish it in a day."

Unbelievable.

"Maybe if you showed up to class, you would know," Olette hissed.

"Shut it, bitch."

"Hey, hey!" I cut in before anything really started. "Kairi, Olette, calm down."

"Sorry, Mr. Ishida," Olette said as she sunk into her seat. Kairi just scoffed and pulled out her phone. I waited for her bratty attitude to subside before continuing, as well as for her to put her phone away during class.

"Kairi," I said sternly, drawing her attention back to me.

"What?"

"Put it away… or leave."

"I think I'll go with the second option. Nobody wants me here, anyway," Kairi snapped as she gathered her things. I wanted to stop her, but I had an entire class of watchful eyes to attend to. I couldn't believe that she was being rude once _again_, but I wasn't going to allow it to happen. At the same time, her words resonated with me and I ended up doing it anyway.

"Kairi, I'm sorry. Sit back down. That's not true," I stated as calmly as I could. She stopped in front of the door. She was already embarrassed enough, but that didn't matter. "Please, just sit. You don't have to leave."

I could see Olette cringing, but I tried to ignore it. Astoundingly, Kairi stomped back over to her seat and didn't make a sound.

I thought college students would be better than this. Without answering Kairi's question, I just continued with the lesson for the day. When class was over, Kairi left without even waiting for Sora. She must have missed him, because he came walking in, ready to express his undying love for his one and only queen.

"Kairi, my love," he sang, but stopped when he realized that the redhead was nowhere in sight. "Huh? Where is she?" Sora blinked several times in confusion. "I brought her with me today."

"She was mad at me, so she went ahead and left."

"Oh, why?"

"Because she couldn't keep up with her work."

"Heh," Sora chuckled. "She'll be alright. By the way, isn't your birthday coming up? I think I remember you mentioning it once back when I took your class."

"You remembered that?" I asked, a little surprised.

"Yeah, I always remember birthdays, if not anything else."

"Well, yeah. You're right. It's actually tomorrow."

"Happy early birthday!" He cheered. His enthusiasm never ceased to amaze me. Regardless, it put a smile on my face.

"Thanks, kid."

o-o-o

It took some adjusting, but Caesar was able to get used to living with me in a matter of days. Just like the paper said, he was very well trained and would bark constantly every time he needed to go outside. I didn't mind, however, because my fenced in backyard worked out perfectly for this. It was actually nice to have a little company for once and he definitely kept me busier than I would have been without him. He loved to play for at least thirty minutes a day, I noticed and the squeaky, bone toy was his favorite so far. He would fetch it and set it right in front of me, fully anticipating another throw.

My thirtieth birthday had arrived, but just like every year before that, it just felt like another day. Even though I was entering a new decade in my life, nothing really changed. Axel always told me that you were only as old as you thought you were, anyway. In that regard, he was actually right. I didn't mind being thirty at all.

I ended up inviting my family over to my house for the first time in over a year. I was so glad that my birthday was on a Saturday. My mom told me that she baked me a huge lemon cake, which had always been my favorite. I heard a beeping sound coming from outside, which indicated that they were all here. Peering through the window, I could see Lilah bouncing up and down and scurrying toward the door. I went to open it and she nearly knocked me over.

"Happy birthday, Uncle Venny! How old are you? A hundred?" She exclaimed.

"Something like that," I chuckled. The bow that was holding her hair up had fallen out and this little action ticked my brother off to no end. He already seemed like he was in a pretty bad mood, but what was new? My mom carried the cake in her hands and my dad—whom I haven't seen in a few months, followed behind her with his hands buried into his pockets.

My dad was pretty quiet, but since we both shared an interest in history, we had a lot more to talk about than he and Vanitas did.

"Happy birthday, son," he greeted upon stepping into my house. My mom went into the kitchen and placed the cake on the counter. Lilah kept trying to tell me something, but I paid more attention to the adults in the room while she carelessly clung to my leg as I walked. I was pretty used to this.

"Get off of him and come here," Vanitas commanded as he fell onto the couch. Lilah reluctantly obliged and went over to her father with a pouty face. "Turn around." She did so. Seeing Vanitas holding a pink bow was kind of an amusing sight, but I guess mom finally managed to make him fix his own daughter's hair. It wasn't something he enjoyed, obviously, but that was just how it was.

I wouldn't mind doing my own daughter's hair, that is, if I had one.

Gah, I needed to focus.

"Lilah, when he's done with that, I have a surprise for you," I beamed, immediately making her excited. Vanitas grunted as she wiggled around.

"Would you stop moving?" Vanitas demanded as he struggled to tie his daughter's hair back. "You can tackle him after I get that mop out of your face!" Finally, he was able to restrain the dark brown mass of hair and as soon as he let go, she came running toward me with unwavering delight. I took her toward the backyard, where Caesar was laying under the only tree.

"Oh! A doggy!" She exclaimed as she rushed over to him. Caesar was a little skeptical at first, which made me nervous, but I wanted to see how he really acted around kids. Soon enough, he was happy as ever as he licked all over Lilah's face and played along with her. My dad came outside, along with Vanitas.

"Oh, god. Now she's going to be begging to come over here every day," Vanitas complained. "What possessed you to get such an ugly dog?"

"For your information, he is very handsome," I defended with a laugh. Vanitas' type of dog was, of course, the tougher kind, such as a Rottweiler or Pit Bull, but they just weren't for me. Caesar kept Lilah occupied as we watched from a distance.

"So, son, how's the job going?" My dad asked as he stood next to me.

"Pretty good. We're nearing the finals, but I'm pretty confident this time around, like usual. I have a good bunch."

"Good. I wouldn't expect any less."

I could see Vanitas getting a little uncomfortable. Although I was older than he was, I was more established and I knew that he felt the pressure from it. My parents weren't too proud of him. Fortunately, my dad excused himself for a while, leaving me alone with Vanitas. He cleared his throat and didn't mention anything about what was truly on his mind.

"So, any news on the baby mama drama?" he asked, making sure our parents were out of earshot. "When do you get to find out what the little worm is going to be?"

"I think that's next month. It's only been about two and a half months. Actually, she came with me to pick out the dog. I didn't want her to, though."

"You're such a freaking sap. You need a backbone."

"Whatever. She had a point, but after that, she just went back to her rude and condescending ways. Besides this dog, I don't ever see us coming to any sort of consensus."

"You should fight for custody. That's what I would do."

"Nah, I couldn't do that to her. She wants the baby almost as much as I do."

Vanitas gave me a baffled look. It wasn't until I realized that he was staring me down that I was able to process what I actually said.

…Did I really…?

"You're actually excited for this? Ven, from what you've told me, this is going to be nothing but trouble."

Thank you, subconscious, for ruining everything.

"I'm excited for the baby, not the rest of it," I admitted, still a little shocked myself.

"What baby?" My mother asked from the doorway. I jolted and turned slightly.

…Uh oh.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** Phew! Hectic chapter! Let me know your thoughts! Quickly! Lol. I know Kairi is all over the place, but she has her reasons. Unfortunately, you only get to see through Ven's perspective, so you're probably just as confused as he is! Please leave a **review** and make sure to have a nice day. Random question: Chocolate chip cookies or Macadamia? Don't ask, just answer! Peace!


	9. Nine

**A/N:** Hello! For those of you that were wondering, chocolate chip cookies won. Now, on with the story!

o-o-o

**Nine.**

o-o-o

Perhaps a beheading was in order.

Not for my mom, Vanitas or anyone else. For me and me only. That would have been better than having to contort the truth to my mother right now. I didn't know how much she heard, and that was what made this all the more difficult. I would rather lose my job than do something like this. Vanitas, however, already had a solid plan of action.

"Axel got a girl pregnant and Ven is excited for him," he said smoothly, and for a moment there, I felt Kairi's presence, as if she was speaking for him. (You know, because she was so good at that sort of thing). My mom's doubtful expression didn't falter as she tried to consider the validity of it, and all I could do was stand there and nod my head in dismay. I forced myself to smile.

"Y-Yeah, and since he thinks that I'm so good with Lilah and all, he's been asking me for advice," I added. Cue in the guilt factor. My mom eased up a little when I confirmed this story.

"Axel has no business having a child. He's too irresponsible," she scoffed as she went back inside. Her distaste for Axel had been kept very much alive until this day, and she never hesitated to express it. I didn't blame her, though. A huge sigh of relief escaped me as I tried to come to terms with what we had just done. I mean, she would find out eventually, wouldn't she?

I was making this so much harder on myself, but I really didn't see any other way around it right now.

Wow, I must be a _great _friend. Now I would have to follow up with Axel and let him know that an imaginary baby was on its way, which, actually, wouldn't surprise me if it turned out to be true. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he had _several _kids roaming around already. I looked over at my brother, who merely shrugged it off as he watched his daughter roll around in the grass with Caesar, no longer fazed that her hair had obviously reached a point of no return. I didn't want to say anything else about it. We all went back inside and made our way into the living room.

"Well? What do you want to do, birthday boy?" Vanitas asked as he familiarized himself with the couch once more. Lilah jumped up next to him, and then Caesar did the same. She hugged him tightly as she dangled her legs over her father's lap. Vanitas adjusted to this with ease as he pulled out his phone and started texting away. My dad took the recliner and my mom just stood.

"I thought that maybe we could play a short game of Monopoly; kind of like we all used to do back when I was in high school," I suggested. Vanitas glanced up in annoyance.

"Why? So you can win again?"

"I don't know. I haven't played since—"

"What's Monopololy?" Lilah interrupted. I chuckled at the cute mispronunciation as Vanitas pat her head.

"You'll find out," he told her. I looked to my mom and dad, who simply nodded.

"If that's what you want to do," my dad said.

It turned into a two-hour game. Lilah got bored after the first twenty minutes, which was actually longer than I thought that she would last, but thankfully, Vanitas came prepared and let her play some game on his phone. It was a close game, but my dad and I came out on top. I felt like a teenager again, and it was just nice for my family to all be in the same room together for the first time in a long time. That was what I _really _wanted for my birthday. Once the game was over, Vanitas helped me put it away.

"Ven, are you ready to cut your cake?" My mom asked. "Vanitas, go fetch his presents from the car."

"Presents?!" Lilah exclaimed as she dashed over to her.

"Yes, dear, it's your uncle's birthday, so he gets presents. Don't you have one for him?"

"Oh! I do! It's a secret, though!" She said as she followed Vanitas to the door.

"Get your shoes on, girl," Vanitas commanded before she darted outside. She pouted once more and plopped onto the floor so that she could do just that. I chortled as I watched this. I could just imagine being the same way with my child.

Oh… geeze… was I _really _that excited for it? Normally, the thought scared me to death simply because of who the mother was, but now I found myself smiling a little more than usual when Lilah—or any children—were around. This was what Namine and I were planning anyway, and although she wasn't here with me, I still couldn't help it.

Now I felt bad.

Although my birthday had been going fairly well so far, I could only imagine how much better it would be if she were here. It was a grim reality that set in every single year, and I had nothing but good memories of it. Normally, like every other morning, Namine would make me a simple breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon, but she would embellish it with '_Happy Birthday, my love!_' Or something similar. She would then present it to me just as I was waking up, followed by a kiss and possibly cuddle time. Those were the best mornings.

Although she would ask me what I wanted to do, usually she already had something all planned out. I would always go along with it, simply because I couldn't see myself doing anything else without her. The last birthday that I spent with her, she treated me to ice-cream at the café that I liked downtown. Namine was simple and sweet, and I loved every bit of her. Just being around her brightened my day, so you could imagine how hard it was to lose my ray of sunshine…

I haven't been to that café since.

"Son, you alright?" My dad asked, piercing through my reminiscence and noticing my mellow expression.

"Oh, uh, yeah," I responded. Pretty soon, Lilah and Vanitas returned with several bags. "Guys, you really didn't need to—"

"Oh, nonsense," my mother said as she took a few from Vanitas and set them on the kitchen table. No matter how old I got, my parents always treated birthdays like they were a big deal. I didn't ask for anything, but I wasn't going to turn them away, either.

"Open my present first!" Lilah urged as she held out a medium-sized pink bag to me. "Mine is the best! It's a bunch of books with pictures in it!" Vanitas smacked his forehead. Chuckling, I didn't expect any less from the four-year old as I reached into the bag. Sure enough, hardcover children's books were inside, all pertaining to a different subject. In other words, these were books that I was going to end up reading to her and I had a feeling that my father was involved in the choosing of them. We exchanged knowing smiles as I knelt down and hugged her.

"Thank you. I love them," I told her with the utmost gratitude.

"You're welcome! I colored some of the pictures in there," Lilah added as she grabbed one of the books from my hand and eagerly showed me. "They were so boring! I brought them to life! See? This guy on the horsey has a mustache now. Did they grow mustaches in the past?"

"Jesus Christ," Vanitas mumbled as he grumpily handed me the present from my parents. Inside was a silver box and a birthday card. As always, I went for the birthday card first, which had a huge number _30_ on it and then some other sappy words. A check for $500 fell out, and my mouth gaped open in response to the unnecessary amount of money.

"Mom, dad," I voiced as I stood in awe. "I don't—"

"Every little bit counts. I know you need to fix some things around this house," my dad reasoned, but I still wasn't comfortable. Thanks to my frugal ways, I was pretty well-off in that regard, but now that there was a baby on the way…

I had no choice but to accept it.

"T-Thank you," I said as I held the silver box in my hands. It was a new razor. A smile formed across my face as I tried to coolly shrug it off.

"I'll give you your present later," Vanitas said.

"No problem," I responded as I set everything neatly onto the table. "Thank you, everyone, for coming."

o-o-o

As the evening winded down, Lilah started getting a little cranky. Not even Caesar could amuse her now, since it was well past her bed time. My parents had left a little earlier, which meant I eventually had to take them home. Vanitas struggled to get her to comply as he lay her down in the guest bedroom adjacent with my room. Up until recently, this room was filled with Namine's stuff, but I had stashed all of that away in the basement just for my own sake, and so that Lilah could have a place to sleep when she came over.

"No! I don't want to go to sleep!" She cried as she squirmed in the bed. Vanitas' impatience was wearing thin as he pulled the covers over her, but she only got louder. Sometimes she would fight sleep when I put her to bed, but tonight was just one of those nights and Vanitas was well aware of the tantrums that ensued. However, he took it rather well as he quickly fixed the pillow and hurried out of the room. I wanted to comfort her, but I knew that I had to just let her cry it out. I followed him into the living room. Exasperated, Vanitas fell onto the couch and sighed. Her cries withered in the distance.

"You have no idea, man."

"I have a slight—"

"No," Vanitas cut in, "You don't. Take it from me; when you have to put up with this shit nearly every night, you'll understand. She gets on my fucking nerves," he paused to listen to yet another loud cry and then continued to ignore it as he eased up a little, "At the same time, you still love them."

"I don't know how often I'll be able to see my child," I admitted.

"If I were you, I would take her to court anyway. Demand as much time as you possibly can. Weekends aren't going to cut it," he reminded me.

"I can't take her to court. That's just a lot of extra drama and money. We could just work together and resolve it on our own."

"Ha! You really think that she's going to go along with it?"

"I'd like to think so."

"Ven," Vanitas emphasized, "There is no such thing as an easy resolution when it comes to this. Mothers can be vicious."

"What do you know? Delilah basically threw her at you," I shot back.

"Yeah? But I've had several other friends go through the same shit with their baby mama. None of them have won custody or any more than a weekend visit. Their kid barely knows them and their mother is always feeding them lies. Is that what you want?"

"No," I said as my expression softened as I looked in the direction of the guest bedroom. She was quieter now. "Eventually, I'm going to have to rearrange that room."

"Oh," Vanitas said as he reached into his wallet and pulled out a card. I grew a little wary as he handed it to me. "Happy birthday; you're going to need it. This is a gift card to the baby store over there on Pleasant View. It's got like $300 on it. Lilah has outgrown the stuff in there, even though she still acts like one."

"Vanitas," I said incredulously. What was up with people giving me large sums of money today? Did I come across as needy?

"Shut up and take it. I'd rather you use it than that bitch you told me about."

"Kairi sure is something else," I rolled my eyes as I unwillingly stuffed the card into my pocket.

"Ah, so she does have a name."

"Yeah. Actually, she doesn't know it, but she's staying two streets over from here at her boyfriend's parent's house."

"Well, _that's _convenient," he paused. "_Shit_, man! She has a boyfriend, too? Does he know?!" Vanitas sat up, now more interested than ever.

"He knows that she's pregnant, and that it isn't his, but he doesn't know that its mine. To make it worse, her boyfriend wants to be just like me. I'm like some sort of role model to him."

His mouth gaped open as he processed the information.

"So, your baby mama is an ungrateful bitch, her boyfriend, which refuses to leave her side despite the fact that he knows she cheated on him thinks you're a freaking saint, and you can't tell anyone else about this pregnancy because you could lose your job?" Vanitas summarized.

"Right."

"Is that guy an idiot?"

"I haven't been able to figure that out yet."

"Sounds like you're ready for the Maury show," Vanitas concluded as he lay out on the couch. "I'd say just do your job and don't answer to no one."

"Easier said than done. It seems like everyone has a knack for lying but me."

"It's not that hard as long as you don't give too many details. Just keep one story and stick with it."

"Are you serious?" My jaw hung loose.

"Or lose your reputation. Haven't you seen the news about the teacher-student sex scandals? There's actually a more recent one. It was a female teacher and her seventeen-year old student. He got her pregnant and now she's filing a lawsuit against him or something because she's claiming it to be rape, but everyone knows that bitch's legs were wide from the start."

"That's with a minor. It's different. My problem is, it's against University policy and people really wouldn't be too thrilled over the fact that it was with a student. We're both adults, but…"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. My point is, eventually this is all going to have to come out in the open, so it's just a matter of when you want to fight it. You can wait for the baby to be born and then be even more stressed out while you deal with criticism and the like, or you can just let people know now so they can forget about it later and leave you alone."

"I highly doubt that people are going to forget. I'm just hoping that once this semester is over, I can go about my business in peace. I'm afraid to even be around her. If she's not in my class anymore, at least I can feel a little better when we're preparing for this baby. I just have to keep it under wraps for at least a few more weeks," I reasoned, but Vanitas wasn't buying it. He knew I was terrified of the outcome of all of this, and frankly, he didn't understand it.

"You're just running from the problem."

"I know, but what else am I supposed to do?"

"You go to the school board and explain everything to them. They like you, don't they?"

"Yeah, 'cause that would roll over well," I said sarcastically. I thought the way that I was doing this was just fine.

I could be stubborn when I wanted to be.

Vanitas spent another hour or so over at my house. After I took them both home, I came back and got ready for bed. Caesar retired to his fluffy, green dog bed that was next to mine as I settled under my own covers. As I shut my eyes, I envisioned Namine in her favorite multi-colored floral dress, smiling back at me as she waved in an angelic glow. I could hear her cute laughter echoing throughout the room.

"I love you, Nami," I whispered as my eyes fluttered open.

No response.

o-o-o

I returned to school that Monday with a fresh outlook. I was going to make it through these last few weeks as if my life depended on it. Taking Vanitas' advice with a grain of salt, I set out to my classroom in hopes that no one would bother me along the way. Unfortunately, that was almost never the case, because there was always _someone_; whether it be a student, Aqua, or even Axel-

Wait, Axel?

"Hey, man! How have you been?" Axel sang as he strode happily over to me.

"What are you doing on campus? Shouldn't you be melting for stepping foot on these grounds because you hate this place so much?"

"Don't have a clue what you're talking about, but I figured that since you weren't answering my calls, that I would come and see you for myself! Dude, it's been nearly two or three months!"

"I'm sorry, I've been pretty busy."

"Yeah, yeah. So, where's your classroom? I want to see it, and I may even stick around for the lesson."

"You can't do that," I said dryly as I stopped in front of the building doors. "I'm sorry, but I have a class right now."

"Please, Ven? Just let me stay for class!"

"Did Terra kick you out of the apartment again?" I concluded with a heavy sigh. Axel thought about this for a moment, but then shook his head.

"No, I just forgot my key and now I'm bored."

"What makes you think sitting in a classroom would make you feel any better?"

"It wouldn't but it's better than doing nothing," Axel explicated, but just then, I saw Kairi and Sora walking up to us. Axel recognized her right away.

"Hey, Mr. Ish—"

"Whoa, it's you!" He pointed at her in astonishment, cutting Sora off. The color drained from Kairi's face as she realized who this was and what sort of dirt he possibly had on her. She tugged a baffled Sora off in the opposite direction, leaving me to fend off my irritating friend.

"Axel, listen, I promise, I'll call you. Please, just go home."

"I told you, I'm locked out."

"Then go over to the University Center," I said as I pointed in that direction, "and I will be there after class. I can't let you into my classroom if you're not a student. Safety reasons, and all."

"What? I'm not dangerous!" Axel fought, but eventually, he gave in. Before he left, he turned to me. "Could I borrow a few bucks?"

"You're hopeless," I said as I reached into my wallet and handed him five dollars. I waited until he was several feet away before stepping into the building. Kairi and Sora had come in through the other door and were just talking in the hallway. Sora planted a kiss on her cheek and waved to me before hurrying off to his class. Kairi seemed iffy about following me at first, simply because of Axel.

"He went to the UC," I assured her. She cautiously walked over to me.

"How the hell does he remember me?"

"Axel always had a thing for remembering people's faces," I explained. "He wouldn't have a clue as to what your name was though, even if you told him ten times."

"So, he wouldn't remember where he saw me?"

"That, I don't know. Good thinking on your part, though."

Was I just commending her for keeping our secret?

"Yeah, whatever," Kairi mumbled. "I couldn't risk it. Sora doesn't know the details of that night."

I cringed as the scattered memories flooded through me.

"L-Let's just get to class," I said as I walked down the hall. At the same time, Olette was coming up in the opposite direction. She noticed Kairi was behind me, but didn't say anything as she entered the classroom. It was weird of her to not even say hello. The lump in my throat returned as I entered my classroom.

Kairi went and sat down in her seat. Riku immediately started a conversation with her. I prepared my materials for class that day, but I kept glancing up, particularly at Olette. She was sitting quietly at her desk, pen in hand, ready for the lesson. She didn't keep eye contact with me for long.

"Good morning, everyone," I started as I went over to the door and shut it. Today was going to be more of a casual day than anything. I was doing another group assignment, but it wasn't in the form of a game or anything too special. I split everyone into groups of four and passed it out. As I handed Olette the paper, she thanked me very quietly before shifting her desk over to her group.

The anxiety surfaced once more.

"I want to make sure everyone is on the same page before we get to these final chapters, so this is a review. Use your peers and textbooks as resources and work together. I'm giving you the entire class for this."

I used this time to grade a short, five-hundred word essay that I had given the week before. I would have done it this weekend, but honestly, I got lazy for once. As I went through each essay, I found myself marking off points a lot more than usual, even on some of my better student's answers. Olette was given a C minus. This was a little unnerving, because that only meant that maybe they weren't grasping the lesson like I had anticipated, which could have been partly because of the recent stressful setbacks that plagued my mind. Kairi's essay was toward the middle. It was written in red pen, something I advised for my students _not _to do.

Of course she would do the exact opposite in a ploy to upset me.

One thing I noticed about Kairi's handwriting was that she always printed her name, but the rest was in cursive. It was a little odd to me, but I guess it wasn't that big of a deal. Also, she would always slant her _'t's'_ more than usual, and instead of dotted 'I's,' she used hearts or other various shapes, no matter what. It was kind of a contradiction, but for reasons unknown, I actually found myself grinning because of it.

Pulling a blue pen out of my briefcase, I wrote a _kind reminder _on the top that stated my disapproval of her color choice, and then focused on her answer. Although Kairi's grades had not been too bad, I wasn't really expecting her to do any better than anyone else, but as I read through, I didn't even find myself lifting the pen once.

She got it right. She got it _one-hundred percent_ right.

Sora must have helped her with this stuff. He took my class before, so he may have even had the answers lying around somewhere. Not that I gave out the same stuff every semester, though. As I straightened up in my desk, my eyes fell onto Kairi, who was working with Selphie and a few other students on the assignment. I was just having trouble grasping the idea that maybe Kairi really _was _smart. I mean, there had been other times where she just completely failed the assignment, and then there were the rare occurrences of her miraculously coming out on top. I wasn't sure whether to question her about it or not.

Sora was definitely helping her. There was no other way.

Once I was done grading all of the papers, I made sure they were all recorded before I gave them out. There were about ten minutes left in the class. I walked around and set the essays face down on each desk as they each finished up the assignment. They took a moment to look over it; some with sour expressions and others with a tinge of disappointment, but Kairi didn't even bother. She looked as if something was troubling her, but when did she not? The groups packed up and left when they were done. Olette came over to me.

"Mr. Ishida, I'd like to ask you about this grade," she requested shakily as she grasped the essay in her hand. "What did I do wrong?"

"Well, although you covered the main points, I was looking for a little more detail. There were some crucial parts that were missing that led to those main points."

"Crucial parts? But I stated everything that was in the textbook," she insisted.

"Some of those answers stemmed from the handout," I revealed, trying to be as sympathetic as possible.

"I looked over that too," she persisted.

"Here, this was what he was looking for," Kairi said as she held her paper out to Olette. She tensed up a little as she gave her a patronizing stare. "You can keep it," Kairi added nonchalantly and set her homework down onto my desk before heading out the door. Her mouth ajar, Olette looked back at me before her eyes hit Kairi's paper and noted the A+ at the top.

"A perfect score?" She scoffed as she scanned the page.

I knew what she was thinking.

"How did she…?"

All I could do was shrug as I tried to hide my obvious discomfort. Olette left the paper on my desk and just for extra measure, shot me a glare one more time before marching out of the room in dismay.

She was onto us.

o-o-o

Like always, Kairi and Sora were in the cafeteria after class was over, but today, I had other things to attend to. Axel's wad of spiky red hair stuck out like a sore thumb. He sat, face down at a table in the middle. He had probably fallen asleep, but that assumption was tossed when his extra-sensory perception informed him of my presence. I sat across from him and gave him a thoughtful, yet pitiful stare.

"Axel, why are you _really _here?"

"I need a place to crash," he admitted, a little flustered. I immediately prepared myself for a refusal, but he kept going. "Terra _did _kick me out. He got mad because I didn't pay my half of the rent, but seriously, I can't afford it. I'm freaking broke."

That didn't surprise me at all.

"What about all of that booze that you bought? Maybe that money could have been used—"

"Are you going to help me, or not?" He interrupted. Just then, Sora appeared by the table. Kairi was nowhere in sight.

"Hey, Mr. Ishida," he stated glumly as he slouched into a chair next to me. Axel gave me a perplexed stare, in which I merely shrugged off. I decided to focus on Sora's disheartened state. "I need to talk to you—privately, if you don't mind. I'm sorry to interrupt." He remained in his chair. He must have been really upset if he just expected Axel to get up and leave, but actually, I was sort of thankful for it. It was a good way to tell him no.

"Uh, Axel, could you…?" I trailed off. "He's one of my students."

Well, he wasn't anymore, but Axel didn't know that. Irritated, he got up without a word and stomped off. He was so freaking immature. There was no way in hell that I would let him stay with me. Setting my eyes back on Sora, I pondered before I actually said anything.

"Alright, do you want to go somewhere else? It's noisy in here."

Sora eventually agreed and we made our way back to my classroom. I walked a little slower than usual, just so he could keep up, because he was really dragging his feet. This was a definite change from his happy-go-lucky demeanor this morning and I had to wonder if Kairi had something to do with this. However, that was made obvious as soon as I shut my classroom door.

"She broke up with me."

"Like… all of a sudden?" I responded, not really sure if I should be surprised or not.

"Yeah! She was just fine this morning, and then, _bam_. She told me she couldn't be with me anymore and that she was moving back in with her abusive stepfather!" Sora's fists shook as he clenched them tightly. "Why would she put herself in that situation, but moreover, why would she leave me?!"

"I… I don't know…"

I recalled Kairi being iffy about their relationship, but of course, I knew _way _more than I was letting on. I watched with pity as, for the first time, Sora broke into tears. He stumbled into a desk, but he didn't realize it as he struggled to adapt to this new and heartbreaking situation.

"I was willing to accept her child as my own. I was willing to be there with her every single step of the way…" he trembled as the words came pouring out, "she was _everything _to me. She _knew _that… she knew that I was willing to be there for her!" He was repeating himself, but I stayed quiet.

If this was the reaction that he got just from a break up, imagine what it would be like when he found out?

It terrified me to think about…

"T-That's it," Sora sniffled as he desperately tried to wipe the tears and snot from his face. "I'm… I'm done. I'll let her go back to her s-stupid house… and…"

"Sora," I said sternly, but he didn't hear me.

"Maybe I'm better off without that bitch…"

Well, I didn't _disagree_, but at the same time, I really felt sorry for him. However, he didn't really come here to listen to any sort of advice, so I just let him vent.

"You know, I think she's cheating on me with Riku, anyway. I bet that _he's _the father. I'll freaking _kill him_ if he is," he added, making me even more uneasy. I raised my eyebrow to this sudden, uncomfortable accusation. "How do they act in class? She's always eager to get here…" He looked up at me with his puffy, grief-stricken eyes.

Well, _that _wasn't something that I wanted to hear. Why would Kairi want to come to class so badly?

"She doesn't seem to care for him… what makes you think that?" I answered.

He didn't respond at first, but eventually, he just shrugged as he tried to settle down. "I-I don't know why I said that."

"You're too upset. Just go home for the day, kid."

"…I'm not a kid."

He was right; he wasn't.

"Sorry." Sora just shook his head.

"I think I'll do that. Sorry for wasting your time," Sora grunted as he flew past me and slammed the door.

In that very moment, all of my regret came crashing down.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** Well, that turned sour pretty quickly! **Reviews**, please?

Also, I tried to write chapter nineteen of Heart Station. It's halfway complete, but still needs lots of editing. I didn't forget about that story, so please, just be patient. :D


	10. Ten

**A/N:** Hiya! I hope you enjoy the chapter!

o-o-o

**Ten**.

o-o-o

Sora giving off the cold shoulder for the next two weeks was definitely expected, and completely justifiable. Kairi, however, was pretending like nothing happened. She absentmindedly had her hands folded across her stomach and her legs were stretched out underneath the desk. She smirked at me from across the room, and I suddenly felt like regurgitating the scrambled eggs that I ate for breakfast that morning.

I wasn't sure if she was cold-hearted, or just a really great actress.

I had debated revealing everything to him. Sora didn't deserve to be just thrown aside, but I just couldn't. It seemed like everyone was onto me for _something_. I noticed their eyes following me more than usual. It was like they just knew that something was going on, even if it wasn't exactly what they thought. I had managed to become so reclusive, that even Aqua was starting to suspect me. I gave her a quick wave and a nervous smile this morning, but she just returned an uneasy look before heading into her classroom. Aqua was a very observant person, so I definitely had to be careful in her presence.

Finals were merely a week away. I liked to think that by having an entire three and a half months out of school that I would get a small break for a while, but I really wasn't sure.

"Alright, I said I would let you know if you're exempt from the exam, and that will be done by passing out this homework from the other day. I wrote it next to your grade if you are or not, but you should pretty much already know. Don't forget that your semester projects are still due on the day of the exam. You can turn them in earlier, if you'd like."

Only about five students were exempt, but I didn't want to glorify them or anything. It was a drastic change from last semester—since about thirteen were exempt then. I wondered if it was because of me. I tended to blame myself a lot for my student's mishaps. As much as I tried not to let my personal life interfere with my work performance, this semester has just been too hectic so far. I couldn't even imagine how I was going to feel once November rolled around.

As expected, Olette got a passing grade. Kairi missed a few assignments, but all of her other work had pretty good markings. However, that didn't make up enough to get her past the "C" that she currently had. She was going to be here on exam day. As I handed her paper to her, she smiled at me. I returned a courteous one and moved along.

"Now, we're starting the final chapter of the semester," I said as I circled back around to the front. "Anyone know about the Keyblade War?"

I didn't receive any immediate answers, which was okay, because this was actually my favorite chapter to talk about. Class seemed to go pretty smoothly from then on. Even Kairi was paying attention to me, and a spark of confidence rose in me for the first time in a long while.

This was what I loved to do. I couldn't lose it.

o-o-o

Once class was over, Olette stalled for a while before actually leaving. Her eyes averted back and forth from me to her papers as she packed everything up. She was still upset about her grade, and the supposed favoritism that was displayed for Kairi. She left without saying anything to me.

Kairi remained in her desk, and as usual, Riku was trying to get her to go somewhere with him. I was really starting to question Riku's motives around her. He seemed to be a little more interested than he initially let on, and now that Kairi and Sora weren't together, he was a little more persistent.

"Kairi, would you like to come to the movies with me tonight? They're showing this really neat sci-fi flick that just came out. I remember you saying that you liked those."

She stiffened as her eyes met the silver-haired man's. "I have other plans." Riku sighed in defeat. Maybe Sora's suspicions weren't _too _far off, but he may have had it the other way around. Kairi always seemed to tense up around Riku, and I wasn't really sure why. I thought she lived for the attention.

"Well, I guess I'll call you later, then," Riku forced a smile as he waved to me and walked out of the classroom, leaving just me and Kairi alone once again. Just then, Kairi got up and strolled over the door. She shut it, locked it, and then turned to me as she leaned against it with a half-smile. Perplexed, I waited for her to elaborate on her actions in the midst of my desire to leave.

"Guess what?" Kairi began; her smile widening.

"Uh…?"

She turned to her side and outlined her stomach with her finger. It wasn't _as _flat as it used to be. "See? I'm already showing a little. I'm actually kind of excited."

That's nice. Good for you.

"Kairi," I said firmly, "tell me why you broke up with Sora." She scowled at my sudden change of subject, but then shrugged it off.

"It just didn't feel right, you know?" She said as she absentmindedly rubbed her stomach. "Want to touch?"

"N-Not really," I gulped as I finished stacking some papers. She was brushing the break up off as if it were nothing.

"I made an appointment for this afternoon. We get to find out what the baby is going to be!" She exclaimed as she came over to me with her hands behind her back.

"What time is the appointment? Thanks for the super short notice. It wasn't like I had any plans, or anything."

"You're welcome. It's at two," she answered nonchalantly as she disregarded my sarcasm.

"Kairi, my afternoon class ends at 2:15," I hastily explained.

"So, cut it short. This is important and it was a hard appointment to get. I planned it several weeks ago."

Oh, so _nice _of you to tell me now. An influx of emotions had been visiting me lately, and this time, my anger got the better of me.

"What is _with you_?" I groaned as I threw my bag over my shoulder. She gave me an innocent look.

"What do you mean?" She questioned as she stepped closer to me. A little intimidated, I took a step back and nearly tripped over my own chair. She giggled at my mishap. "Are you alright?"

She was acting really weird.

"F-Fine," I said as I went past her, but suddenly, she grabbed my arm and tugged me backward.

What was she doing?!

"Don't you care about this baby?" She asked as her glossy eyes trailed up to mine. I pulled my arm away from her grasp.

"I do, but you need to calm down," I said as I made my way over to the door. "Let's go."

"What are you doing now? When are you going to buy me breakfast like you promised, oh, back in February?"

Damn it, woman.

"You want something? I'll give you money and you can get it in the cafeteria. I already ate."

"No, I want to go out somewhere. I'm hungry and it's not good for the baby to starve myself," Kairi said. She must have thought she was being funny or something, but I obviously wasn't laughing. This was very uncomfortable. She came up behind me and spoke again. "You were able to take me to the pet store with you. Why can't we go somewhere to eat?"

"Are you out of your mind?" I grunted as I reached for the door handle, but just then, I felt her arms wrap around me from behind and a weight on my back that nearly made me lose my balance. As if out of nowhere, she started sniffling as she clung tightly to me. Sweat formed all over my face as I attempted to process this sudden and disturbing act.

"I'm really upset right now," she mustered. "Can't you just… spend the day with me?"

I felt sorry for her, but this was really out of line. I tried tugging on her arm, but she didn't budge. My entire body was warm with fear as my mind wandered with possibilities of us getting caught like this. I may not have wanted it, but it looked wrong no matter what.

"K-Kairi," I said dryly as I placed my hand on her arm, "p-please get—"

"No, not until you agree to take me somewhere. You owe me," Kairi sniffled. I knew her emotions were out of whack due to pregnancy changes, but really? What was up with this chick? Had she fallen for me or some crazy shit like that?

Sora _did _say she was always eager to get here…

I thought that I should clear the air right here and now, but when I went to open my mouth, of course, I couldn't get the words out. She was crying, and I didn't want to make her feel any worse. A woman crying was a major weakness of mine, no matter who was doing it.

I was too freaking nice. Maybe I should have had Vanitas teach me a thing or two about having a freaking backbone.

"I'll take you across town, but I _have_ to be back here by eleven-thirty."

"R-Really?" She asked as she lifted her head off of my back, but still held on.

"Yes, now, will you let go? You're acting very immature."

Her hands slithered out from me and I felt a huge sense of relief. I wasn't prepared to hear more sobs, but that was exactly what happened.

"I-I'm sorry," she mumbled as her eyes familiarized themselves with the floor once more. "It's just… everyone seems to hate me but you, but now you probably hate me too."

"I don't hate you."

"But you don't like me, either."

Bingo.

"I didn't say that. Let's just go and get this over with. Keep your distance," I warned as I opened the door. No matter what, a promise was a promise.

Ugh…

o-o-o

We were somehow miraculously able to go undetected on the way to my car. There weren't many people outside around this time because this was class time, which made me feel a lot better. Kairi put her seat belt on and slouched in her chair as she placed her hands on her stomach again. I glanced down for a moment before starting my car.

I wondered how the baby was. I guess I was going to find out at the appointment that I knew nothing about today.

"When am I going to feel kicking?" Kairi asked as we left campus. "I think it has been moving around some, but I'm not sure."

"I don't know when that starts."

"Do you want to know what sex the baby is or do you want to be surprised?" Kairi massaged her stomach.

"I… haven't really thought about it."

I didn't want to be here with her right now. I knew I was being distant, but at least the driving eased the pressure a little.

"I want to know so that I can plan for it."

"I see."

"I want a girl."

I did too, but I wasn't going to give her any reason to continue this conversation. Frankly, I was way more upset than I needed to be. This was too much of a risk, and although I swore to myself that I would never be caught with Kairi outside of class, I still was too weak to say no. I hated myself for it.

"Maybe we can—"

"Kairi," I interrupted, "Can we please just… have silence?"

Okay, weird choice of wording, but I really didn't like doing this. I even debated on going through a drive thru, but that probably would not fly over well with her. After about the longest ten minutes ever in the history of my existence, I finally pulled into a small café on the other side of the islands. Not too many people came here and the food was decent. Kairi thought it was a little weird and was probably wondering if the place was even open, but I didn't give her time to question it as I turned off the car and got out. I had an hour and a half before I had to be back and I didn't plan to stall longer than I needed to. I waited for Kairi to get out before going inside, but I at least held the café door open for her.

Old manners died hard.

A bell rang above our heads as we stepped into the dim-lit café. The aroma of fresh coffee filled the room. Nobody was around, and that was just the way that I liked it. Kairi was a little iffy, though, as she scanned the area with her cat-like eyes. I didn't know what she was expecting, but there was no way that I was about to take her anywhere that received a decent amount of customers. I thought I explained the conditions well enough, but maybe she was still a little rough about the details.

I gravitated toward the last booth, but Kairi stopped near the middle and pointed to another. I wanted to fight it, but I decided to go along with it. She let me into the booth first, but then, instead of going to the other side, she trapped me in by sitting right next to me.

I didn't know what to think anymore. It was obvious that she wanted to be closer to me for whatever reason, but I…

This was mind-boggling.

She paid no mind to my obvious discomfort as she opened a menu and started browsing through it. I didn't know whether to be irritated or not, but I was definitely getting there. I glanced up at the register, where a waitress was just putting her phone away.

"What should I eat? I want everything," she whined as she drooled over the menu. This was my normal breakfast time, so I was pretty hungry too, but my uncertainty with this unpredictable girl was distracting me from my grumbling stomach. Yeah, I ate some eggs earlier, but it had been a few hours. The waitress finally made it to the table. Maybe if she wasn't paying so much attention to her phone, we could have been out of here by now.

I think it was quite obvious that I was here against my will, even though I brought her in the first place.

"Well, hello! You're the first customers of the day!" She exclaimed as she held onto her notepad. I didn't doubt the truth in that statement. She was a bit on the older side. "What can I get you two cuties to drink?"

God, she probably thought we were a couple, all because Kairi didn't know the meaning of 'two feet at all times.' She was probably going to slide the bill in my direction when this was all over, too.

"Oh! I want some orange juice, but can I get milk too?" Kairi asked sweetly.

"Of course you may, pumpkin," she said as she jotted it down. "And you?"

"Water… would be fine."

"No milk? Nothing?"

"Water," I repeated. My throat was pretty dry. She got the memo and walked off. I leaned more toward the window as I looked at Kairi.

She seemed to be doing a lot better than before.

"What are you going to get? I don't want to spend all of your money."

Thanks for that. I'm _so _grateful.

"Kairi, do you get out much?" I wanted to ask if Sora took her out often, but I guess I just assumed that he did. Other than that, I wasn't really sure if she knew how to act in public. Everyone had their own personal bubbles, but I guess she shattered that boundary when she decided to use me for her lustful desires on that fateful night.

Woe is me.

"I think you know the answer to that. I don't have a lot of good friends."

I wanted to ask her to move, but that just made me feel like a jerk.

"Are you left or right handed?" I asked instead.

"I'm right-handed."

YES! I had the _perfect _excuse!

"Oh, well I'm left-handed, so you being next to me like this won't work when we eat."

She shot me a glare, but it didn't faze me.

"Then we'll switch," she stated in a rather demanding tone as she moved out of the booth, so I could apparently follow her wishes.

"Why can't you just sit on that side?" I asked in a hushed voice. The waitress was coming back.

This was too freaking much.

I obliged and let her scoot in toward the window, but then in a last effort attempt, I hurried over to the opposite side. In the process, I regrettably bumped straight into the waitress and orange juice came flying toward me, drenching my white dress shirt with its contents. The milk just barely missed me and the glasses shattered on the floor.

Damn it!

The waitress immediately started apologizing and ran to get some napkins. Kairi, however, found this amusing.

"I like that color on you." She giggled. "You're so plain all the time."

I glared daggers at her as I reached for some napkins on the table to clean it up. The waitress came back with a mop, broom and everything. Kairi just watched as I helped her.

"I am so, so sorry!"

"No, it was my fault. Could we just order take out?" I said irritably, and although it was more directed toward Kairi, it probably made the waitress feel even worse.

Once the mess on the floor was wiped up, I made sure to leave the waitress a decent tip before leaving. Kairi waited for me at the door as I carried the to-go boxes. At least she was nice enough to hold it open for me. We made it to the car and I noted that I only had about an hour left.

"You can eat in the car, just don't make a mess. I'll drop you back off on campus," I said as my expression soured from the stickiness of the orange juice.

"I want to see where you live. Plus, I miss Caesar," Kairi insisted.

"No way in hell."

"Please?" She pouted. "Besides, I need to know where my baby is going to stay."

"Oh, no, you're not pulling that one on me. You're not going to see my house yet, and that's final."

"Yet? What's the difference between me going now as opposed to going later?"

"The difference is, after next week, you will no longer be my student."

I had to stand my ground on this one. I couldn't risk letting her know where I lived, especially not when I felt like she had some sort of crush on me. As I drove back to campus, Kairi seemed visibly upset that I didn't trust her enough to take her there. A few minutes of silence passed.

"Do I really get on your nerves that much?"

"Kairi, I can never understand you. One minute you're nice, the next you're flipping out on me. That's what gets on my nerves."

"I'm sorry. I grew up in such a shitty household that I never really had the opportunity to learn any sort of manners."

"That's no excuse," I answered quickly, but instantly regretted it when I heard her sniffling.

"I really don't want to stay at home. My dad… he…"

My sympathy meter rose as soon as she started talking about her abusive father.

"You know, he makes me clean all the time, even now. I have to polish his shoes, make up his bed, dust every inch of the house every single day, and so on."

I wasn't sure where she was going with this.

"If I don't obey, I get hit. If I miss a spot, he punches me in the face."

"What about your mother?" I asked. Kairi scoffed.

"My mother left me with that monster. I have no idea where she is, but she obviously didn't have the decency to take me with her."

"That's terrible," I said, genuinely concerned at this point. Even though I wasn't really into hearing sob stories, I couldn't help it. We were getting closer to campus.

"I just need a place to stay. I can't physically or mentally take it. I promise I won't tell anyone or act up…"

"Kairi, as much as I'd love to help you, I—"

I glanced over and saw her holding tightly onto the small hump on her stomach. Tears rolled down her cheeks and almost instantly, it was like possession took over and I was trapped in a wave of guilt. I didn't want my unborn child to be in danger, but that meant that its mother needed to live in a safe environment.

"Can't you just stay with Sora?" I asked as a last resort, but I knew it wasn't the right thing to do.

"You want to know why I broke up with Sora?"

"Some clarification might be nice. He was willing to accept it."

"Sora is too good for someone like me."

"That is such a cliché answer."

"Sora is going somewhere in life. Despite his past, he made something for himself. I would just tear him down again. He doesn't deserve to be held back by someone as pitiful as me."

Oh, and I do? Kept that to myself, because after the thought passed, I felt bad.

"You just have to learn how to… be nicer."

"How can I be nice when everyone hates me?"

She made everyone hate her.

"I don't know, you'd just have to work on it. Starting with a smile could go a long way."

"This baby is the only thing I have to smile about," she said as she pursed her lips together, and although she had that appreciative look in her eyes, it was still one of the saddest things I had ever seen. "At least my child will love me."

"Kairi, you can only be happy if you let yourself be happy. Isn't there anything that you like about yourself, other than the baby?"

"Not really."

…Namine was the same way for a long time—at least, as far as low self-esteem went. She wasn't nearly as troubled as Kairi was, but her confidence levels weren't the best when I first met her. Therefore, I was able to be more empathetic with Kairi. She was nothing like my Namine, but yet, I found myself comparing the two like this.

I must be going mad.

We pulled into campus, and Kairi made one last attempt to convince me that she should stay at my house. She did it without words, and I had to admit, I almost gave in. I shook my head.

"I'm sorry, but I just can't risk it. I'm sure that there's _someone_—"

"Fine. Meet me back here at 1:45," she snapped as she got out. She hesitated for a moment before slamming the door and stomping off.

Some things just never change.

o-o-o

Walking back into Dr. Gainsborough's office for the first time in a few months was definitely hard for me at first. I knew that by coming here, I was no longer seeming like just a concerned teacher anymore, so I came prepared. I had changed into more casual clothes instead of my work attire, (that I was thankfully able to grab when I went home) so that I could possibly throw off the workers there if they happened to remember me. No one said anything, so I felt a little relieved.

After the initial vital signs were taken, Dr. Gainsborough came in and asked Kairi a few things about how she had been feeling, how the pregnancy was going for her, etc. This appointment seemed to mirror the last one I went to, but the only difference this time was we would get to find out the sex of the baby. Honestly, I wasn't sure if I wanted to know. I liked the element of surprise, but at the same time, I also liked to be prepared. Although I didn't really care for gender stereotypes, it would be nice to know.

"We'll get you into the ultrasound room," Dr. Gainsborough said. "Follow me."

I felt like she knew that I was no longer just the teacher, but Kairi and I kept our mouths shut. We were met with the same sonographer as before as soon as we entered the room.

"So nice to see you guys again! How are you?" She greeted as she shook our hands.

"I've been okay," Kairi said shyly as she made her way over to the bed. I just nodded. As I sat down, I noticed that I was tapping my foot more than usual. I thought I would be better at coping with this by now, but every time I looked into Kairi's hopeful eyes, I felt a mix of dread and excitement. She made herself as comfortable as she could onto the bed and I just stayed quiet as the sonographer prepared for the ultrasound. I couldn't remember her name. Shooting a glance at her name tag, it read Xion. Ah, that was it.

"We're going to listen to the heartbeat again and make sure everything is alright. Also, we need to run some tests to detect any sort of genetic defects. This is your sixteen week ultrasound, so we may be able to find out the sex of your baby! Aren't you excited? Would you like to know or do I need to keep it a secret?"

Kairi looked back at me. All I could do was shrug.

"I would like to know, but I don't want him to know yet," Kairi told her. I raised my eyebrow.

Why was I here, then?!

Xion gave me a sympathetic look. She had to go along with the mother's wishes, so she just started the ultrasound. The baby was more formed now and I could clearly make out the head. After the normal ultrasound view, Xion switched to a 3D view and everything sunk in. 3D imaging was truly amazing, and I was stunned that I created such a perfect little being. Xion pointed some things out, but I couldn't hear her. I was too focused on the image in front of me. The baby's eyelids were shut, its tiny index and middle fingers were crossed over each other and it just looked so peaceful inside of its temporary resting place. A slightly curved smile embellished its face and I absentmindedly did the same. It wasn't until Xion called my name that I snapped out of it.

"This little life form will only continue to grow. You may feel some butterfly kicks here and there, but your baby can also completely flip around if it wants to. Anyway, are you ready to learn the sex of your baby, Miss Kairi?" She asked, giving me an apologetic look. Kairi nodded. Xion leaned in and whispered one simple word to her and a huge smile illuminated her face. I was so glad that she made this decision without me. After an emotional and grueling fifteen minutes, we were out of there.

Once we got to the car, I tried not to ask her why she decided at the last minute to keep this from me. However, I didn't want to ruin her glowing moment as she stared at the ultrasound picture. I pulled my seatbelt over me and reminded Kairi to do the same before we left. A few minutes later, Kairi spoke. She could no longer contain her happiness.

"It's a boy!"

o-o-o

Wow.

I returned to campus after dropping Kairi off at a store that she wanted to go to. She tried to get me to come inside with her, but I couldn't. I had to get back and retrieve some assignments that I forgot to grab before we went to the appointment, and then I would swing back by to take her back to her dad's house, even though I really didn't want to now that I had a realistic visual of the precious child growing inside of her.

My steps felt lighter as I headed over to the History building. I'll admit—I was happy. In six months, I was going to have a baby boy. Although I originally wanted a girl, that didn't matter because I would love my child no matter what it ended up being, and the revelation didn't faze me in the slightest. I texted Vanitas and informed him on the news, and he messaged back almost instantly.

_"Congrats!"_

It was finally starting to occur to me that I was way more excited than I originally anticipated. It wasn't the most ideal situation, but I had to work with what was given to me. As I unlocked the door to my classroom and then shut it, I took a moment to breathe in everything that has happened up to this point. I had been _very _fortunate so far, and my mood didn't falter as I went over to my desk.

I started to reorganize as I searched for the papers that I forgot earlier. I needed to have those graded tonight, but I wasn't sure how I was going to focus on anything right now. I found them under the array of study guides that I so kindly made up for everyone. As I tucked them into my briefcase, I heard a knock on my door. Who could possibly be here so late? I really didn't want to talk to anyone. As I walked over to the door, my excitement drastically dwindled.

Olette and Riku stood there, and I instantly got a bad feeling. I had no choice but to let them inside, but I hid my glum expression as I went to sit back down. It was weird to see these two together; as far as I knew, they had probably never even spoken to each other before this.

"Mr. Ishida, could we have a moment of your time?" Olette asked politely, but her voice was tainted with hints of anger as she meandered toward my desk. Riku kept his arms crossed as he followed behind her. He was watchful, and it only made me more nervous.

"Uh, yeah, sure," I said as I loosened my collar some. W-was it hot in here, or what?

"An issue has arisen that has come to my attention," Olette began as she pulled out her phone. She entered a few things on there before handing it over to me. "Could you tell me what is going on with this post?"

I gave her a strange look before taking the phone out of her hand. I tried not to shake as I glanced down at it.

It was a picture of me and Kairi at the café earlier. Above it was the caption, _"Cute couple. They were the first customers of the day. I love my job_."

…

WHAT THE HELL!

"Somehow, that picture got to a mutual friend of mine and she showed me," Olette explained as her phone shook in my hands. I had absolutely no explanation for this photographic evidence, even though it was not what she thought it was. My hand trembled as I handed it back to her.

"I'm a little disturbed by it," Riku finally cut in. "I thought it was illegal to date a student. Is this why Kairi broke up with Sora?"

"We are _not _together," I said hoarsely. Neither of them seemed to believe me, and they had every reason not to after a picture like that. I was staring out the window in the picture, and Kairi was happily looking through the menu as she sat next to me. I guess that was right before I noticed that the waitress had her phone out. I had no idea that she was uploading us onto social media.

I was appalled.

"You can either tell me the truth right now, or I can bring this to President Eraqus' attention. It's probably going to get to him, regardless, because this picture has been shared quite a few times and I believe we all know the impact of something going viral. Apparently, you two are the _cutest couple ever_. I believe you know that it's against University policy to participate in this sort of relationship?" I couldn't help but think that there was a tinge of jealousy hidden in her statements.

"Listen, there is _nothing_—" My heart stopped and my mind went blank as soon as Sora entered my peripheral vision. He leaned against the doorway with his hands in his pockets. I couldn't quite read him.

"Sora, have you seen this?" Riku asked as he took the phone from Olette and showed it to him. Sora didn't even bother to look and calmly pushed it away before setting his view back on me.

"Yeah, I have."

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N**: Whoa, even I felt a little nervous writing that last part! What goes up must come down, right? Your thoughts! Tell me in a **review**! What will happen now? What will Sora say?

'til next time!


	11. Eleven

**A/N:** I apologize for the delays lately.

o-o-o

**Eleven.**

o-o-o

Sora came over and stood next to Riku. His casual attitude kept me on edge; I had no idea what he would do or say next.

"I saw it, but I think this is all one big misunderstanding," Sora said as he faced them. Olette's jaw dropped and Riku just stared at him in disbelief. Even I was a little shocked. "Mr. Ishida would _never_ do this."

"R-Right," I concurred.

"Are you _blind_?" Olette persisted. "They even came to my work, a _pet store_ and adopted a dog together."

"Not true," I piped, but I couldn't say any more than that. I never intended to bring Kairi along.

"Yeah? So what?" Sora countered. "Maybe you haven't heard, but… Kairi is pregnant." Olette's face soured at the news and Riku just cleared his throat. "Because of my incompetence, I have asked Mr. Ishida to pick up the slack, but not in the way that you think. I just wanted him to watch over her. I knew he would never take advantage of her, and I think that the picture is just a misconception. I know how Kairi is, and Riku," his eyes settled onto him, "come on, you know her too. Kairi can be _very_ persuasive." Riku eventually nodded in agreement.

"Is it your baby?" Olette challenged him.

"Yes, it is," Sora responded, sending me into a frenzy.

"You do realize that this man is giving her perfect grades, right?"

"She deserves them," Sora defended, "Kairi is very smart."

"Kairi is _not_—"

"She is. She has to help me with my homework all the time."

Olette clenched her fists as she tried to come up with some sort of response. "This is… this is ridiculous! You guys are so… I can't even!" Olette jammed her phone into her purse and hurried out of the classroom. Riku took one last look at me before going after her, leaving me here with Sora.

I've lied to him for months and he freaking stood up for me.

However, it wasn't over yet.

"That picture has been shared several times. Thankfully, no one has commented that you're a teacher here yet," Sora informed me as he pulled out his own phone and stared at the picture. His eyes narrowed and I was at a loss of what to say. "I've seen that look on her face before… countless times."

"Sora, I swear, I—"

"You don't have to explain yourself. I can tell that you don't want to be there. Some people don't understand body language and like to make assumptions."

This kid was astounding. I didn't deserve this.

"Whatever happens, I'm on your side. As much as I hate to admit it, I think Kairi may favor you a lot more than I thought."

I cringed at his words. So, I wasn't the only one that could see it.

"But it's all just wishful thinking on her part, right?" He gave me a hopeful look. "I mean, Kairi is beautiful and all, but you would never…"

"O-Of course not…" I trailed off. Sora formed a crooked, satisfied smile. Although Sora seemed grateful, his narrowed expressions and occasional glances suggested otherwise.

"It'll pass."

I'd have to disagree. I'm stuck with her for life.

"Sora," I started as he looked up at me, "Why would you say that you were incompetent? Why did you tell them that it's your baby?"

"To protect her, and because I am incompetent."

"Are you blaming yourself for Kairi's actions?"

"Partly."

"You really shouldn't. I have never seen anyone as headstrong and willful as you… other than myself." I didn't mean to say that, it kind of just came out.

"Really?" Sora gave me a confused look. "You had someone like Kairi before?"

"She wasn't like Kairi at all. No offense, but compared to Kairi, she wasn't even in the same spectrum. She was an angel. At first, however, she…" my lip quivered as I continued, "She didn't really like herself. There were a lot of difficult times in the beginning. I had to constantly remind her how wonderful she was. She never hurt anyone but herself. Eventually, she started opening up to me and pretty soon, we were able to spend three years together in happiness."

"Why just three years?"

"Well, she died when I was twenty-four."

Concern filled Sora's face. "Oh, I'm so sorry."

"What I'm saying is, although I think that Kairi is the most difficult person to walk the face of this planet, I don't want you to give up on her."

Sora turned his head and thought about it for a moment. "I don't want to, but she obviously doesn't want me."

"Kairi doesn't know what she wants."

Sora chuckled in response, but then set his gaze on the floor again. "That's true. I could love her with everything I have and it still wouldn't be enough."

"See? There you go again."

Kairi was probably waiting for me at that store.

"She pulled me out of a rough patch, even though she was going through so many things herself. There was a time when I pushed her away, just as she is doing to me now."

"There will always be challenges in every relationship," I said.

"Yeah, but I think Kairi became worse because of me."

I straightened up, interested in what he was going to say.

"I used to do a lot of bad stuff. I hung with the wrong crowd, and I wanted to be accepted by them. I thought they would favor me more if I went along with their shenanigans, but it only brought me torment. I don't have much to be proud of in my life. That's why I want to make something of myself, and I mostly have you to thank for that aspect." Sora leaned against my desk and glanced at me. "The passion you have for teaching is amazing. I want to have that same passion for whatever I end up doing. I don't want to be remembered as the stupid _kid_," he paused after the acknowledgement, "that only did petty crimes in some sort of attempt to look cool. I'm way past that stage in my life."

"Well, that's good."

"Back then, Kairi would constantly warn me about those people. She would beg me not to go out, but I would completely disregard her. I think I made her cry a lot."

"Do you feel like you have to make it up to her or something?"

"That's exactly what it is. You know, people think I'm crazy for sticking around her, but half the reason she's like that is… because of me. I want to make things right again."

I didn't expect him to pour out his life story to me, but at least it made sense. I had been wondering what Sora's story was ever since Kairi slipped up about his past.

"I'm not blind," Sora continued. "I know what Kairi sees in you, and actually, I'm glad that it's you rather than someone else."

Okay, I was convinced that this guy was either hopelessly in denial, or just plain dumb.

"Sora, you don't know what you're saying."

"Oh, but I do. I'm not telling you to be with her or anything, but maybe you can help her after all. All I want is for Kairi to be happy. This picture tells me everything."

Unbelievable.

"Thank you for taking care of her, even though you probably didn't want to."

"That's an understatement," I said, then nervously laughed it off.

I was just as bad as Kairi. A hesitant smirk stretched across Sora's face as he crossed his arms. His slightly suspicious nature didn't go unnoticed as he paced back and forth in thought.

"Could you do me one more favor?"

My lips pursed together as I awaited his request.

"I can't sleep at night because Kairi is living with her stupid, good-for-nothing father."

I knew exactly where this was going. He tried this stunt before, and—

"Please, could you just let her stay with you? I can't bear the thought of endangering her… or that child… that man should be locked up for all of the things he has done to her…" Sora winced at the thought.

"You know that she has some sort of feelings for me, yet you want her to stay at my house?"

"If it's not too much trouble…" Sora rubbed the back of his head. "I just want to know that she's safe. I know that you would never give in to her advances."

I didn't know what to say.

o-o-o

As I sat in the store parking lot, I fought with myself over everything that just happened. Before I left campus, I made sure that no one was following me. I had a feeling that Olette or Riku would just to prove a point, but thankfully, they didn't. Kairi finally came out, spotted me and started walking over. My foot tapped involuntarily as she got in, and I really didn't have anything to say. She set a few bags into the back seat.

"You know, this would have been much easier if I had your number. I was ready to go like thirty minutes ago. Anyway, I live in Sunny View," Kairi said as she buckled her seatbelt. I started heading out to the main road. Kairi realized that I wasn't responding to her. "Is something wrong?"

"They know," my voice croaked.

"Who?"

"Check your Facebook or whatever."

After a few minutes of scrolling through her phone, she gasped, meaning that she found the picture. "This has been shared like twenty times!"

That didn't make me feel any better. I had no idea why anyone would share such a picture.

"People are commenting," Kairi said. I noticed her smiling a little at some of the comments as she went through, but other times, she would only frown. "Oh, shit…"

"What?" I stopped at a stop sign and looked over. Selphie had commented on the picture.

_"That's… my teacher and classmate…"_

A few comments appeared under that, but I had to start driving again. "Read what they're saying," I said nervously.

"Under that, another person said, _really_?" Kairi read. We weren't too far from her father's house. "Another said, _'that's gross. High school?'_"

"Ugh, this is just great…"

"I want to respond," Kairi said angrily. "These people are just going to assume and talk shit."

"N-No," I placed one hand on her shoulder as I turned into the Sunny View suburb complex, but then retracted it. Clearing my throat, I asked, "Which house is it?"

"3215," Kairi answered, but she was a little sketchy. These were pretty decent sized houses. I figured that only doctors and lawyers lived around here. After a moment, Kairi said, "Sora commented!"

"What?" I asked as I spotted her house in the distance. There was a man outside, but Kairi was too busy reading on her phone.

"He said that everyone should stop assuming so much. That it's nothing to be worried about…" Kairi started biting on her nails. Sora was something else. I parked in front of her house. The man, presumably her father, was clad in a black suit and looked as if he had just gotten home. His jet black hair was parted and combed back and he wore old, square glasses. He had that sophisticated look about him; professional and collected. I got a creepy vibe, but that was probably due to my previous knowledge. He glanced over at us in confusion and I immediately became ten times more nervous. Eventually, he picked up a hose and started watering the plants. Kairi rolled her eyes.

"G-Go get your stuff," I told her weakly as I made sure all of my doors were locked. "If he gives you trouble, just try your best to come back out."

"Why?" Kairi asked, giving me a strange look.

"Because… you're going to stay with me."

"Really?"

Kairi seemed a little afraid to get out of the car, but she did so anyway. I rolled my window down a tad so I could hear any sort of interaction between them. Kairi hurried up the lawn.

"Who is that?" Her dad asked, but she ignored him and went into the house. He turned off the water and started coming toward me. Shit. I kept my window cracked as he stood next to it. He leaned over and examined me. I tried to pay him no mind, but this was really uncomfortable.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"A friend," I said instantly.

"Well, are you just going to sit there or get out and greet me like a real man?"

I'd rather not risk death, but I felt like I didn't have a choice. I held onto my key as I stepped out of the car. I was about to take his daughter away, and he would have my license plate and everything. He observed me as he put his hand out.

"I'm Mr. Hikari. You've probably heard of Hikari Real Estate," he boasted as he gave me a firm handshake. Great. I had identified myself as a friend, and it had to stay that way.

"I'm… Hayner. I go to school with Kairi," I said. Hayner was a student in my class last semester.

Now that I think about it, he and Olette were great friends.

Whatever, it didn't matter.

I wondered what was taking Kairi so long. How much stuff could she possibly have? Then again, it's only been a minute, but being around her abusive father was making time drag. He was definitely intimidating, despite his calm demeanor. The way he talked was gentle, but suggestive as he scanned every inch of me. As far as I could tell, he didn't like me at all.

"Kairi's a very sweet girl," Mr. Hikari said calmly, throwing me for a loop. "Where will you two be going?"

"Oh, you know, just out with some friends… probably to the beach or something."

This guy was weird…

Thankfully, Kairi came out a moment later, rolling a huge suitcase along with her. She had a purple bag strapped to her shoulder. I really wasn't sure how I was going to do this, but I hurried over to her and took the suitcase.

"What is going on here?" Her dad asked as his voice rose.

"I'm leaving this shithole," Kairi said as she threw the bag into my backseat. I quickly set her suitcase into the trunk and swung around to my car door, however, her dad blocked me.

"Kairi is an adult. You can't stop her," I told him sternly as I opened the door and slammed it shut. Sweat rolled down my face, and I couldn't blame it on the warm weather. I tried to think of a way to speed out of here without him seeing my license plate, but that was impossible. Regardless, even if he did end up calling the cops, there was nothing that they could do. Kairi gave me an astounded look as we sped down the road.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because I don't want my child… or the mother of my child… to be in danger." Sora and I were in agreement there. No matter what, I had to put my child first.

"Thank you," Kairi said quietly as she faced the window.

I checked my mirror several times as I made my way home.

o-o-o

Kairi didn't hesitate to note how close I was to Sora's house once I pulled into my neighborhood. Parking in my driveway, the realization hit that my life would be a lot different from now on—not that it wasn't already, but actually letting Kairi live with me for who knew how long was a huge step and I wasn't really sure how it would go down. Key in hand, I rolled her suitcase for her as I walked up to the front door. Kairi stayed quiet.

"Before I open this door, I will have to set some ground rules." Kairi waited for me to continue. "Obviously, you cannot tell anyone where you are staying. You must clean up after yourself at all times. I'll have some chores for you to do, but it won't be anything too strenuous. I keep putting my life on the line, and I expect you to at least be grateful for it."

"I am," Kairi said. "I know you're having a tough time."

She was so confusing.

"Yeah. Alright, then."

I unlocked the front door and let her in first. Caesar perked up from the couch and ran to us. She immediately went over to Caesar and hugged him, letting the dog lick her face. I shut the door and set her suitcase aside as I sighed deeply.

I couldn't believe this. What was I doing? I felt like every time I came close to getting caught, I only did something worse. It was bad enough that our picture was basically going viral on the internet. In fact, I wondered if her dad had seen it yet. I leaned against the door and watched as Kairi interacted with Caesar.

She was so happy, despite everything.

"Well? Aren't you going to give me a tour?" Kairi asked as she lifted herself up.

"I suppose, but we need to let Caesar out," I said as I ushered the dog to follow me into the kitchen and toward the back door. I let him run into the backyard and then turned back to Kairi. She was observing my fairly dated kitchen, running her hand smoothly across the laminate countertops as she walked around.

"The forks and stuff are in this drawer, cups are over there and plates and bowls are in that cabinet," I explained as I pointed each thing out. Once we were done with the kitchen, I told her about how I loved preserving electricity and suggested that she pay attention to the amount she used. We headed down the hallway, and I really didn't plan on showing her what my room looked like behind the closed door, but before I could stop her, she turned the knob and looked anyway.

"You must really like cleanliness," Kairi concluded. "What a boring room."

"Yeah, anyway, this will be yours," I said as I opened the door to the guest bedroom. Some of Lilah's toys were scattered across the floor. Kairi noticed them.

"Who was previously in here?"

"My four year old niece stays over sometimes."

"Aww, you didn't tell me you had one."

"Well, we've never really had a proper conversation."

Kairi grinned widely. "There will be plenty of time for that from now on, right?" Not giving me a chance to respond, she went over and fell onto the bed. She let out a longing sigh as she focused on the ceiling.

"Should I leave you be?" She countered my question with another sigh as she shut her eyes and placed her hands on her stomach. Silence filled the air.

"Ventus, do you think we'll make good parents?"

Her question threw me off guard. "Uh, I hope so?" She didn't reply as she sat up and stared at me from the edge of the bed. Her unsteady gaze made me feel a little weird, so I just shrugged it off and tried to play it cool.

"You're ashamed, aren't you? You can't stand to look at me."

"I-I never said that," I swallowed as she walked up to me.

"You think I'm nothing but a whore. I just know it."

"Kairi, we've been through this. I don't."

"You're lying. You don't want me here."

"If I didn't care about you at all, would I have brought you to my house?" Realization of what I said didn't hit me until after the deed was done, and here I stood—at a loss as this broken-hearted woman processed my words. It took a moment, but after she straightened up, she had a response.

"What is your wifi password? Also, I'm going to need your phone number."

Taken aback a little, I just simply put my hand out.

"What?"

"Your phone."

"So, you don't trust me with a password?"

"It's nothing too personal." Her face scrunched at my response as I put the password into her phone. After that, I dialed my own number and called it. She was already in my house, so something like this was way overdue. I dropped the call after I felt the buzz in my pocket and then gave it back to her. She said nothing as she looked at it.

"There, now you have my number. However, please, do not call or text me unless it is very important."

"Okay."

Surprised that she wasn't putting up a fight, I adjusted my posture. "There's not much more to this house. The basement is off limits, though. Please, stay out of there."

"Why?"

"There are some things I would rather not bring back upstairs," I paused and grimaced as Namine's name ran through my mind. "Anyway, I have some work to do, so just… hang out or whatever."

"Something smells," Kairi noted as I walked out. I stopped for a moment, but then decided not to bother. Stepping into my bedroom, I locked my door and made my way over to the bed. I just wanted to nap, but I knew that I couldn't.

Why couldn't I ever say no?

o-o-o

I hid behind the barriers of my bedroom door, sullen as I lounged in my desk chair. It was nearly ten. My head was pounding with nonstop thoughts of _what if this, what if that_, and it was driving me crazy. I stared at the papers in front of me and tried to focus on grading them, but my mind drew a blank. Everything was blank. The impact of social media was frightening. I went through and read all the comments for an hour before I finally couldn't take it anymore, and people were still talking. By this time tomorrow, I had no idea of where I would be. How would my students act? What if they hated me now? Not only was I thinking about the effect this would have on my job, I was worried about Kairi, too. Would they bully Kairi even more? Gosh, the girl has been through enough, and believe it or not, I didn't want her to be upset.

I needed an escape…

Glancing at the picture frame that I always kept faced down, I debated on picking it up. If I could just _see _her, I would probably feel a million times better. Namine was my light in the never-ending darkness, and I depended on her to fix me. Clutching the frame, I shook as I went to flip it over.

If I could just see her… I could alieve everything…

My jittery hand stopped midway and I let the frame fall flat onto the desk. I couldn't do it. Even my mind couldn't conjure her smiling face.

I could no longer hear her these days.

"Namine, I miss you. Where are you?" I whispered as I absentmindedly stared at the ceiling. My hands dangled at my sides as I slouched in the chair. It wasn't the most comfortable of positions, but right now, I didn't care. All I could think of was Namine. Shutting my eyes, I desperately tried to picture her, but I only got bits and pieces—her blonde hair, a white dress, but never a full image. Not even her heartwarming smile could save me. I tried to stop the tears that begged to get out, but it was no use.

Namine was truly gone. She had been for nearly six years now.

I didn't want to accept it. As I sat up in my chair, I heard a knock at my door.

"What?" I managed, my but sadness was pretty apparent.

"Are you busy?" Kairi's voice echoed. I got up and opened the door, only to turn away when I saw that she was wearing nothing but a purple lace nightgown.

"What do you need?"

"I was lonely."

"Kairi, if this is how you're going to act—" I stopped as soon as I felt her weight on my back. She didn't wrap her arms around me this time, but she was upset nonetheless.

"I'm afraid to go to school. People are going to pick on me. Olette commented and told everyone that I was pregnant, and now they're saying that it's most likely yours… and some other mean things." She grasped her phone tightly.

Pulling away from her, I turned around and placed my hands on her shoulders. Tilting my head, I looked into her tear-filled eyes and tried to come up with something.

"I'm worried too, but we're just going to have to deal with it. Eventually, we should really tell Sora what's going on."

"No fucking way!"

"If you won't, then I will. I'm tired of keeping this from him."

As much as I didn't want to lose my job, all of this lying and drama was really stressing me out. I didn't want to have to make up stories anymore. Maybe Vanitas was right—maybe it was time to fight this.

"I don't think you realize what Sora is capable of," Kairi warned, sending a chill down my spine. What exactly did she mean by that? Perplexed, I couldn't say anything. Kairi's eyes lowered. "Sora must not know. Not yet." She gloomily headed for the door. My sympathy got the better of me, so I sent Caesar her way. She glanced back at me.

"He will keep you company any time you need him."

"Okay."

o-o-o

Returning to class the next day was frightening. Kairi found another way to school and left way before I did, which I was thankful for. However, this picture had already been seen by possibly thousands of people, which meant that at least some of them knew who I was. This was exactly what I was afraid of happening.

I noticed people whispering and watching me. It's like they just knew everything, and I was a victim in their childish gossip. Entering the History building, I walked through a hallway full of passing students, trying to keep to myself as much as possible. Just before I made it to my classroom, a hand cupped my shoulder, startling me. I looked back and saw Aqua standing behind me. She seemed concerned, but I was in no mood to talk. I just wanted to get through this week and then finals and be done with it.

"Ven, you've been really distant lately. What is going on?"

Had she not seen the picture?

"Oh, uh, I've just been really busy." I felt like I had used this excuse several times in the past few months, and she was starting to question it.

"We're all worried about you. Even the President has asked me, but I couldn't tell him."

"Oh."

Again, I wasn't very talkative. Fear lingered as Kairi walked right past me and into the classroom.

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me," Aqua consoled.

"Okay."

The chatter subsided as soon as I walked in. I didn't even bother to look up; I knew that they all of at least seen or heard of this damn picture. I wasn't really sure how Kairi was taking all of this. For this first time this semester, Olette was absent, which was a little bit of a relief, but I still couldn't shake the thoughts.

"Quiz time," I said as I pulled some papers out. I knew I was being distant. I knew I wasn't the happiest camper right now.

"I didn't know that we had a quiz," Pence called out.

"Check your syllabus." Once I was done passing everything out, I went back to my desk and fiddled with a pen. This was the longest class I had ever had. I ended it twenty minutes early simply because I couldn't take it anymore. Kairi said nothing to me as she headed out.

So much for fighting.

"Mr. Ishida?" Riku's voice hovered over me. I looked up and noticed that everyone else was gone. "Could I talk to you?"

"Yeah, but make it quick. I'm not feeling well."

Rude, maybe, but I was in no mood to deal with any of this.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could confide something in you."

"Riku, I'm not a counselor. If you need one—"

"It's about Kairi. I think I may be the father."

Time stopped as soon as those words came out of his mouth. My jaw dropped as I straightened up in my chair. Riku's eyes were glued to the ground in shame.

"R-Really?" Was all I could manage to say.

"Yeah, it was back when she and Sora broke up for like a week. That was February, right?"

I nodded slowly.

"Kairi and I did some stuff. The condom may have broken…"

A raging jealously overcame me, for reasons I couldn't fathom. Kairi told me that there was absolutely no one else on this planet that could possibly be the father, but now I had this idiot standing here and telling me this? I was appalled; disgusted and queasy all at the same time, and I had absolutely no idea on what to say to him.

"I really like Kairi. I thought that was pretty obvious, but I couldn't help but consider the possibility. When I saw that picture of you two, I'll admit, I thought something was up, but actually, I don't think that you would do something like that."

"T-Thanks," I said, still trying to contain my anger.

"I think I'm going to let Sora know. Could you be there when I talk to him?"

Fuck.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** Kairi's dad is totally not based off of Zachary Quinto from American Horror Story or anything. Anyway, that chapter was pretty packed, don't you think? **Review**!

I think I should take a moment to explain why I'm so busy: I'm looking for a new job. I also work here and there, and I'm trying to move out of my parent's house pretty soon. I don't have enough time in the day anymore, and it took me about a week just to finish up this chapter when generally it would take me about two or three days.

Sorry about any future delays! Please leave your feedback below!


	12. Twelve

**A/N:** Oh, ho ho, thanks for your reviews on that last chapter! By the way, **April 28****th**, today, is the day that I chose for Ven's birthday in this fic (even though his birthday already passed in it)! So, happy birthday to Ven. xD And you get a new chapter out of it.

o-o-o

**Twleve.**

o-o-o

Hold on.

What if this was a trap? What if he was saying all this just to get under my skin and see how I react? It would be a clear giveaway that I really did have some sort of relationship with Kairi, even though I actually didn't. Riku moped before me, swaying slightly from side to side as he seemingly debated on telling his best friend the news. His best friend that was so unpredictable, that even Kairi had to warn me about.

_'You don't know what Sora is capable of,'_ I recalled her quote.

Equipped with this revelation, I straightened up and faced him. I was comfortable and collected on the outside, and my anger for Kairi was put on the back burner.

"Yeah, I'll be there, but aren't you afraid of what Sora is going to say… or do?"

Riku was a close friend. If I could see how Sora reacted to this, it could give me a pretty good idea of what he would do when he found out the truth. Then again, if Riku was just bullshitting me and trying to get a provocative response, I would know as well.

However, he simply nodded.

"He's going to be pissed. He'll probably try to fight me, but he knows that I overpower him in every physical way… unless he still carries handguns…"

Well, _that _was a little alarming.

"But if you're there, I think he may be a little calmer about it. Besides, Kairi came onto me. Sora knew I liked her."

Maybe that was what Sora meant by Kairi being _very persuasive_. I mean, sure, she had her own allure about her, but no decent man would ever give in unless they were either drunk or dim-witted, and in our cases, we filled those roles. I admitted my mistakes, at least to myself, because then I had a chance to figure out how to fix them. I haven't even touched alcohol since that night. Problem solved.

"If you really think Sora is going to just accept it, call him here."

Riku pursed his lips together anxiously as he retrieved his phone from his pocket. If this was a ploy to get a rise out of me, it clearly wasn't working. However, if it was the truth—if there was truly a possibility that he was a fatherly candidate, then Kairi and I had a long and intense conversation awaiting us when I got home.

He put the phone to his ear and tapped his fingers on my desk as he waited for Sora to answer. I kept calm.

"Yo, man. What are you doing?" He paused. I could hear the sound of Sora's muffled voice from here. "Oh, you're at the cafeteria with Kairi? Of course you are," Riku chuckled, "Um, hey, could you come by Mr. Ishida's classroom?"

I guess it was true.

"No, just you. I… have something to tell you… yeah, yeah, I'll be waiting. Bye." He gave me a nervous look as he put his phone away. I tried to shrug it off, but inside, my heart was pounding.

"And now… we wait, I guess," Riku concluded as he strolled back to his desk and fumbled with his stuff. "I hope Sora can forgive me, but I know that's not likely."

"Well, when you sleep with your best friend's girlfriend, nothing good can come out of it."

I was surprised how numb I was as the words rolled off my tongue.

"I liked her way before he did, and actually, she liked me back then, too."

"But she chose Sora."

"She may have chosen him, but she would always come back to me."

Well, Kairi, you were just getting worse and worse, weren't you?

"In the duration of their relationship, Kairi and I probably met up and did stuff—not always sex—but stuff, at least twenty times. I think she does have feelings for me."

Was he telling the truth?

What a great trio. Secrets cascaded around them.

"I guess that you have a lot of explaining to do," I responded as I clicked my pen constantly. Did Kairi have any redeemable traits? Every time someone talked about her, all they said were seemingly negative things. Even Sora hardly had anything to say when he wasn't jumping for joy over the blind love that engrossed him.

I could hear footsteps nearing the classroom, and I only anticipated the worst. If Sora used to carry, and possibly use handguns, there was truly no telling how this would go down. He strolled on in, his hands nestled behind his head with a huge grin plastered across his face.

"Hey, Mr. Ishida! Riku," he acknowledged.

"Hey, why don't you shut the door?" I suggested.

"Hm? Okay," Sora said and did so, then returned to his smug state. His eyes met Riku's for a split second. "So, what's up? What did you need to tell me?"

Sora's optimism always made it difficult for people like us. There was a feigned innocence on display whenever he was around, but he also had the ability to be very emotional. He was able to put people at ease but also make them feel extremely uncomfortable at the same time. I wasn't sure how he did it, but I guess if you harbored such a huge secret that could possibly shatter that innocence, you would feel pretty uneasy.

Riku remained in his desk as he tried to come up with the words to say. He glanced at me, and I nodded back at him. I could picture myself in his position. It almost felt like I was using him, because I simply did this to see how Sora would react.

"Well, you're not going to like this. Maybe you should sit down," Riku began, tensing up in his chair. Sora hesitated, but eventually he slowly made it over to where Olette's desk was and sat on the edge of it.

"Why? What's going on?"

"Sora, how much do you know about Kairi?"

"I find out new things every day," he said nervously. Tilting his head, he looked over at his best friend in bewilderment. "What is it?"

"Well, today is no different. To tell the truth, Sora…" Riku struggled as he clasped his hands together. I watched Sora closely. He seemed really confused. Riku took one last look at me before turning to him. "Actually, Mr. Ishida here… has been lying to you."

Hold on, what?!

"Lying?" Sora's eyes traveled over to me. My mouth gaped open as I tried to process what Riku had just said.

"Yeah, he slept with Kairi and got her pregnant. I have proof."

What the fuck? What is this?!

"Riku, what the hell?!" I yelled. My nerves came crashing into me as I noticed the malicious smirk forming on Riku's face. This was all a fucking set up, and I was not prepared at all for it. "T-That's not true!"

No amount of denial could save me from the crushed look on Sora's face. Disbelief overshadowed him as he stared at me. Suddenly, the door swung open and Olette came charging in, carrying a DVD in her hand. Sora slowly got to his feet.

"I have the evidence right here. Evidence from the hotel surveillance," Olette said smartly as she held the DVD out. "My friend works there, and she fully complied with letting me see this. Granted, he probably wasn't a willing participant, but he was there, nonetheless and he has been fooling us all from the start!"

"Riku, what kind of sick joke is this?" Sora questioned. "Mr. Ishida?!"

It definitely was time to fight, but there was no way that I could make myself look better without completely trashing Kairi. I had absolutely no explanation as Olette popped the DVD into the player and turned on the TV. Sora was a pretty observant guy—maybe he could tell that I was shit-face drunk from the video. Actually, anyone could see it. Sweat dripped from my forehead as I tried to hold my composure. The nightmare was coming true.

"Mr. Ishida, what the _hell _is he talking about?!" Sora yelled as his eyes averted to the screen. I could barely watch, even though I was just as interested as anyone in this room. I shut my eyes for a moment and wished it would all just go away, but I opened them again to see what exactly the video entailed. I could hear the loud banter between Axel and some of the girls, and even myself saying a few incoherent drunken things. I cringed as I watched myself stumble onto the sidewalk. Sora was hypnotized by it all. It seemed to drag on, and I was definitely feeling the pressure. It ended as soon as Kairi dragged me down the hall and shut the door. Olette turned it off.

"As you can see, I didn't want to be there."

"Why did you deny everything?" Olette hammered. I shriveled in her presence. This was really none of her business…

I had no explanation at the moment. After a chilling silence, Sora finally spoke. "I think you two should leave us here. I want to _talk _to Mr. Ishida."

Riku and Olette didn't hesitate to go out. Even if Sora wasn't upset about the whole drunken escapade, he definitely had every right to question me. Once the door was shut, he gave me the most hateful look I had ever seen. My throat swelled and I could no longer think straight as he slowly stepped toward my desk. This was it—I could either turn this in my favor, or he was going to lash out at me—and it wouldn't be pretty.

"Explain. Explain why you _lied _to me." Sora's voice was filled with bitterness as he stood in front of my desk. I was surprised that he was even giving me a chance.

"I guess I… should just start at the beginning," I mumbled. Although I was crumbling inside, I tried to play it off as something that I clearly didn't want, because—well, that was the truth.

"What?" Sora yelled as he slammed his fist onto my desk and startled me. "Speak clearly so that I can hear you!"

Damn, kid!

"Alright! Yes, I lied to you, but that was because I didn't want to accept it myself! As you could see, I was pretty drunk in that video, but that was before I even met you, and honestly, I didn't remember half of what went down in that hotel room!"

"Did you get Kairi pregnant?!"

"I don't know! I don't know if I'm the father!"

"Didn't it occur to you that this sort of information, speculation or not, would be a _little _important to tell me instead of pretending that you had absolutely nothing to do with her?"

"Sora, I never meant to lie to you like this. I just wanted to be sure before I told you. Trust me, I wanted to from day one."

"I looked up to you! I thought you were an honest and respectable person, but you're horrible! You're fucking evil!"

"Sora, please, could you just listen to my side?!" By now, I had risen from my chair. He gritted his teeth, but he kept quiet as he waited for me to continue. "As of right now, I am under the impression that I am the father of her baby. Since I am a man that takes care of his responsibilities, I accepted this, but I didn't want to tell anyone just yet." His face soured as I went on. "If I was going to tell you, I wanted to be absolutely sure, or that would start some very unnecessary drama."

"You still lied. You looked me straight into the face countless times and _lied_. I confided in you. I trusted you," he growled, clutching onto his hair as he paced back and forth.

"I didn't know what else to do. I could lose my job for this, and if I do end up being the biological father, I would need to be able to provide for this child. Regardless, I hated putting up this façade. I'm sorry, Sora. I should have been honest from the start."

"You're fucking despicable."

I felt like I was being backed into a corner.

"I was basically raped."

I didn't want to put the blame on Kairi, but since the truth was pouring out, eventually I would have to bring her in, and my fear was making me say things that didn't make her look so good. However, no matter how you looked at it, there was really no way to come out of this without bashing her at some point.

However, I didn't want to do that.

"Raped?"

"Don't you listen? You saw the tape. You saw how she forced me down that hallway and into that room. That was the week that you two were apparently broken up. In fact, I remember you all mentioning that you got back together the next morning. Imagine, Sora, how I must have felt when I found out that _you _were the boyfriend. Since I didn't remember exactly what happened, I didn't tell you, but once Kairi revealed that she was pregnant, and that there was no one else that could _possibly _be the father to this child—not even you—I had to accept what was coming. I couldn't tell you. Not yet. I was going to do that as soon as I got the paternity results. I couldn't live with myself."

Sora took some deep breaths, clenching his fists tightly as he stared at the floor. I couldn't tell if he hated me or not, but I was probably pretty close to that point. Betrayal was not something to be taken likely, so I completely understood the way he was acting right now. Honestly, he was taking it way better than I thought he would so far…

That is, until he spoke again.

"Where is that bitch?" Sora grunted, and then swung the door open and stormed out of the room. Baffled as to what he was about to do, I ran after him and tried to stop him by grabbing onto his arm. Suddenly, he broke from my grip and twisted my arm so much that it nearly popped, causing me to wince in pain. "I'm going to fucking kill her," Sora threatened and he kept going. I couldn't let him make a scene like this. I was afraid for Kairi's safety, but ultimately, the child's.

"Sora, stop!" I yelled as I tried to keep up, but he was determined to find her. We made it outside. I turned pale as soon as I saw her coming toward the building. She was walking rather slowly compared to us, and her hands were over her stomach. She saw us approaching her and for a moment there, I could sense her desperation. Sora went up to her and without hesitation, struck her right across the face, completely shocking me. She yelped and fell to the ground. A few people saw this, but they scurried away. They must have been afraid of Sora.

"You slept with Mr. Ishida?! Huh?!" Sora yelled. He was long gone at this point, and his wrath was draining out of him and enveloping her. In a moment's notice, I gathered my strength and shoved Sora out of the way so that I could guard her. Kairi held her hand where the mark was; her mouth was bleeding, but that was mixed with tears as she struggled to understand what was happening. I helped her up and defended her as Sora gave us the most frightening glare.

"I… told you not to tell him…" Kairi whispered as she trembled behind me.

"What is with you people talking so lowly all the time? Do you think _that _little of me, that I have to be cast aside?"

"Sora, you worry to death about Kairi going back to her abusive household, yet you just did the same thing!" I argued. Any man that abused a woman was sickening to me and I wouldn't stand for it, no matter who was involved.

"I had every right to. She deserved it," he answered coldly, sending chills throughout me. "I'll make sure that you two suffer. I won't tell you how, nor will I tell you when, but you'll know when it happens." With that, he stomped off.

I had no words.

o-o-o

Cancelling my class once again was a hard thing to do, but after that, it would have been impossible to pretend like nothing was wrong. I walked Kairi to my car. We were silent.

"He's never hit me before," Kairi said finally as we left campus. I was still trying to comprehend everything that just happened. "Why did you tell him?! Why?!"

"Riku and Olette set me up," I told her, but I couldn't say anymore. I couldn't believe that I fell for that. I wasn't even going to ask her if she slept with Riku or not. This was quite the hectic day, and honestly, I was terrified as to what Sora was going to do way more than the impact of some stupid picture. After witnessing him strike Kairi, I truly believed that he was unstable enough to cause more torment. Instead of going home, I made my way over to my parent's house. I didn't even care anymore—it was all out in the open. By tomorrow, I would be known as the teacher than impregnated my student.

"Where are we going?" Kairi asked several times, but I didn't respond. A few minutes later, I pulled into the driveway. Vanitas' car was here, thankfully, and I didn't hesitate to get out. I was so conflicted that I had nearly forgotten that Kairi was with me. She caught up with me as I made it to the door. "Where are we?"

"This is my parent's house. Don't worry, they're not here, but my—" I stopped when I heard the door open. Vanitas stood there, confused as he let us in.

"Why haven't you gotten a key yet?" He asked, but I just wanted some water. Hurrying to the kitchen, I quickly grabbed a cup from the cabinet and filled it, gulping down every last drop. This was tearing me up inside. Vanitas and Kairi came into the kitchen and watched me. Surely, he noticed the mark on her face.

"Dude, what is going on? Keep it down, though, I just put Lilah down for a nap."

"Her boyfriend—"

"Ex," Kairi corrected.

"Her ex-boyfriend just found out," I said as I trembled against the counter. I eventually set my glass down. Vanitas didn't say anything at first.

"Did he do that to you?" Vanitas asked Kairi. She nodded in shame. "Well, fuck."

"He threatened us," Kairi added. "I fully believe that he's going to go through with that… after what he did…" she caressed the side of her mouth where he hit her.

"I think I will have to get a substitute for the rest of the semester. I can't take this."

"Hell no," Vanitas interrupted. "You're not backing down simply because some idiot can get a little violent. You show that bastard what you're made of and that you're _not _afraid of him. Do you need me to knock some sense into him?"

"Would you?" Kairi pleaded.

"No, you shouldn't get involved," I waved it off. "I knew that this would happen eventually."

The three of us stood in silence for a while.

"I think I'm going to quit school," Kairi said, breaking it. Normally, I would argue with her, but even I had considered handing in my resignation letter for a split second before deeming that crazy. Kairi had every reason to, however, and I knew that I couldn't convince her otherwise. I would rather that she be safe then go to school and be tortured daily. I would just have to fail her.

I think she knew that.

"It wasn't like I was serious about my education, though."

"Education isn't the only answer," Vanitas scoffed. "I could probably get you a job, if you're interested."

Hopeful, she looked over at my brother. "Really? You would help me?"

Vanitas shrugged. "I know how you feel, at least a little."

I didn't think that Kairi and Vanitas could get along, but here they were, bonding over a shared opinion—that school sucked. He also obviously knew the pressures of having a child, so I guess in that aspect they had a lot to talk about. It was part of the reason why I turned to him in the first place. Kairi felt a little more comfortable now, despite the chaotic day that ensued.

"Do you mind if I sit down? I'm really exhausted," Kairi asked as she made her way over to the table. Vanitas pulled a chair out for her, surprising even me. She thanked him and sat down. Kairi rested her head on her hand as she pulled out her phone. "Sora sent me a few messages…"

"What did he say?" I asked nervously.

"He told me to… go to hell. He said he hated me, and that he never wants to see me again…" Her lips quivered as she read his harsh words, and tears filled her eyes once more. Sighing, I came over to her and rubbed her back, causing those tears to pour out. Vanitas handed her the box of tissues and we just let her cry it out. She needed to.

"He said a few nasty things about you as well, but I don't think you want to hear them."

"Sora's already said everything that he needed to say. I'm more worried about you, now."

"Thank you."

"You guys can come over any time," Vanitas added. "But seriously, if that guy lays another hand on either of you, he's going to get a beat down."

"T-Thank you," Kairi managed as she blew her nose. "I-I feel sick. Where's the bathroom?"

Once I showed her to the bathroom, I turned back to my brother and sighed once more. "I don't know how I'm going to handle all of this."

"I think that you made it worse, honestly," Vanitas responded.

"Yeah, I guess I did. If I was just honest from the start…"

"Whatever. It's done. You should focus on your child now… and that girl. She needs you."

"Yeah, you're right."

It was all downhill from here.

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**A/N:** Shortest chapter, but there was seriously nothing more that I could add. Please leave a **review**!


	13. Thirteen

**A/N:** You finally get to see why this story is rated M! Enjoy the chapter!

o-o-o

**Thirteen.**

o-o-o

I no longer cared if Kairi and I were seen in public. This was how it was going to be when we had the baby, so I might as well get used to it now. To me, there was a bigger threat on the horizon. Luckily, the picture from the café had served its fifteen minutes of fame and then faded away, at least from the online presence. At school was a different story.

President Eraqus called me to his office right after my first class ended. As I made my way across campus, I was fully prepared to face him, but that didn't mean that I wasn't shaking in my boots. Although taking care of my son would be a top priority, I would need some sort of income to do so. I loved my job and my students, but if Eraqus chooses to terminate me because of all this, then so be it. I thought people trusted me around here, but apparently rumors can go a long way. You could do a million great things, but as soon as you mess up, that mistake is the one thing you're remembered by. It was a cruel reality, but that was just how the cookie crumbled. It was finals week, anyway. At least I didn't have to endure the judgmental stares for too long.

My students sent me mixed signals. When I was wrapping up the class earlier that day, a few, including Olette, didn't even stick around. I didn't understand why the hell she turned against me so quickly. She must have had a thing for me; and no, that was not a vain conclusion. I had credible reason to believe it. I mean, come on! Why would she care so much about my business?

As for Sora, I was more worried about him than anything. Yeah, lying to him was pretty bad, but what was done was done. I thought he was more mature than that, but apparently I cut too deep. Thankfully, I didn't run into him at all.

I entered the building where Eraqus' office was. He was hardly ever here, so everyone in that hallway knew that whenever someone was called to his office, they were in trouble. I got a mix of sketchy and anxious stares on the way, and it wasn't helping my ego. I knew that I was a great asset to this school, but I was also a threat to their reputation. You thought I was only worrying about myself, huh? Of course not.

Eraqus sat back in his chair, one leg crossed over the other with his arms folded.

"Shut the door and have a seat."

I did so. I couldn't get comfortable, so I just leaned forward and rested my chin on my clasped hands.

"I never thought I would be sitting across from you like this, Ventus."

"Me neither," I choked out.

"What the hell is going on? Please tell me that you have nothing to do with this and it's all just some misunderstanding? Sex with a _student_? You know that's against the policy, even if you are both consenting adults." He held up a videotape. "I saw this, and I'm quite disturbed by it."

"Although that _did _happen, it is a big misunderstanding."

Maybe I was more afraid than I thought. I was like the lead actor, and I had forgotten my lines. Eraqus gave me a contorted expression; I could tell that he was struggling to understand.

I told him everything from the Everclear to the revealing ultrasound of my unborn son. I told him how Kairi was currently staying at my house, and that I felt threatened by Sora. I didn't leave anything out. It was like a weight was lifted, because although I was dreading the result, I still felt relieved to say it. Eraqus watched me as he put everything together.

I was wrong for taking that drink. I was wrong for even going to that club. Now I had to face the consequences.

"Ven, are you… crying?"

Okay, that wasn't planned.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm just really stressed…" I wrote off as I wiped my tears shamelessly. I didn't associate crying with weakness, only with strength. Eraqus wasn't sure how to react to all of this as he handed me a tissue. "I just want to get it straightened out. I never meant to sleep with her, I was just really drunk. She wasn't even my student yet. I think I passed out in the middle of it, but I can't remember."

"Wow."

After composing myself a little more, I straightened up and looked him right in the eye. "I don't want to stop teaching, sir. This job is everything to me… and with a baby on the way… that may or may not be mine…"

"Stop," Eraqus said as he held his hand up. He got to his feet and paced around the office, deep in thought. My eyes were locked on the floor now; I fully expected him to fire me.

"How many classes do you have left?" Eraqus asked.

"Uh, one today and then the last class before finals is on Wednesday."

"I think you should sit them out. Do you have any assignments or projects that are due?"

"Just the semester project. It was an essay."

Great, it was coming. I was about to protest, but he continued.

"I'll be sure to get those to you. When you come back next semester, I want all of this bullshit to be wrapped up in a pretty box and shipped away to Timbuktu. I don't want to hear another word about it."

My jaw hung loose as I processed his words.

"Y-You're giving me another chance?"

"You are a splendid teacher. You just happened to make a huge mistake. We're all human, but I'm sure we can settle it before my University becomes trashed with accusations."

Have I been overthinking this entire time?

"T-Thank you," I said, still trying to grasp everything.

"Get out of here before I change my mind."

"Yes, sir," I said as I quickly jumped from my chair. "Again, thank you so much. This means a lot…"

"Yeah, yeah, but I'm still really disappointed in you."

"I know. I couldn't even begin to tell you how much I regret it myself."

"You should never regret bringing a child into this world." Something in his voice made it seem like he resonated with me, but I didn't have any other knowledge to back that claim up.

"Right." With that, I shut the door and walked slowly down the hallway. This was incredible. Although I wasn't allowed to attend for the rest of the semester, I was still able to come back in September. I didn't think it was possible…

When I returned to the classroom, an agonizing feeling filled me. Even though I would only be missing a few days, I still would have to face everyone when the new semester starts. There was an entire summer to forgive and forget, and I wasn't sure if I should be optimistic or not. I retrieved my things from the desk and turned off the lights, letting out one last sigh before shutting the door. Aqua peered at me from the end of the hall, but like always, I was in no mood to talk. She seemed upset as she paced toward me.

"Is it really true, Ven?"

"Is what true?"

"That you slept with your own student?" She clarified in a lower tone. I didn't want to explain everything again, so I just nodded.

"It's not what you think."

"I thought you were smarter than that."

"Yeah? Well, even I can make mistakes."

"I guess so."

This automatic rift between us was too much for me to handle. As I walked off, I couldn't help but think that this was the last time I would talk to her. Even though she was part of the reason I started as a teacher in the first place, I knew that parting ways was imminent ever since all of this happened. I had a feeling that this would be a common theme with the majority of the staff.

I just had to keep pushing on.

I was able to confess everything to my boss, but now there was another problem. My parents didn't know that they had another grandchild on the way. Since I was letting all of my skeletons out, I might as well tell them too. I just couldn't keep secrets. Like a coward, I texted my mother a brief summary and put my phone on silent. I threw my briefcase into the back seat and whirled around to the front, but just before I could open my car door, I heard a familiar voice. Riku stood behind me. He had a worried expression on his face, but I wasn't sure why.

"What do you want?" I mumbled.

"Are you in trouble?" Riku asked, but I wasn't buying the innocent act.

"A little, but I'm a big boy. I can handle it."

"I'm sorry for doing that to you, but you know you deserved it, right?"

I thought carefully about my response. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't, but it's honestly none of your business."

"Sora's really mad."

"Riku, what do you want?" I repeated.

He shrugged. "I don't know."

"Okay, well, we're done here. I hope you get that job." I didn't even stick around to wait for him to talk. I got into my car and slammed the door. If he was trying to intimidate me, it wasn't working. Riku was just a stupid airhead to me. Pulling out my phone, I ignored the missed calls from my mother and called Kairi as I sped out of the parking lot. Riku remained in my rearview mirror.

"Hello?" Kairi answered.

"What are you doing right now?"

"I was watching TV. Why?"

"Make a grocery list. We're going shopping."

o-o-o

I picked up Kairi at the house. I was surprised that she was ready within the fifteen minutes, but luckily for me she had already showered and everything. I told her about what Eraqus said, but she just shrugged it off and said that I got lucky, which I actually agreed with. When we got to the store, she handed me the list that she had quickly put together. I scanned over it.

She threw a few cravings in there, I could tell, because of the inconsistency of the items. Brussel sprouts at the top, and then peanut butter bars right after. Her list was all over the place, and honestly, I wondered what was going through her head when she wrote this. We got out of the car and headed inside.

"Could we get some eggs?" Kairi asked. "I don't think I put that on there."

"Sure."

I really just wanted to distract myself. My mother had been trying to call ever since I sent that message, but she had probably drilled Vanitas by now if he was home. She knew that we told each other everything, and I think she was a little jealous sometimes because of it.

"Oh, I love these!" Kairi exclaimed as she held up a box of blueberry toaster strudels.

"No. You need healthier food, for the baby's sake."

Pouting, Kairi put the box back into the freezer and caught up to me.

"If I'm going to buy food for you, you can pick what you like, but it's all at my discretion."

"Fine."

I thought I was being very fair. I think that I was more surprised that she didn't argue, but by now, I could tell that Kairi had some sort of a conscience. I guess she wasn't _that _bad after you got past the bitchy attitude, but I was wondering about the sudden change of heart. As we went down each aisle, the cart became fuller and I knew there would be a hefty bill at the end. We somehow ended up in the bathroom supply aisle, and Kairi threw several things into the cart without asking. I put half of them back when she wasn't looking, shaking my head as I followed.

"I need this, too," Kairi said as she held up a back scratcher that she pulled off of the wall. She started using it, in awe at the amazing feelings she received from something so simple.

"No." I deadpanned. Kairi pouted.

"Are you going to scratch my back if it itches?"

"You could… use the wall."

She gave me a strange look and just put the scratcher into the cart. "Thank you!"

Ugh. I was too nice sometimes. We entered the dog food aisle. Kairi picked out some treats for Caesar, and even I was considering some of the toys. However, the pile of nothings in my cart helped me decided against it, and we just went with the treats.

"I'm not rich, you know," I informed her as we somehow made it to the cosmetics. We _definitely _didn't need anything here, but Kairi was intent on the perfumes section as she picked up several and sniffed them.

"Eww, that smells like shit," Kairi said as she threw a blue bottle back onto the shelf. "I think my sense of smell has increased."

"Yeah, that tends to happen in pregnancy. Dr. Gainsborough mentioned it."

"You were actually paying attention?" Kairi asked. I just shrugged. As we passed the pharmacy, Kairi continued to look for opportunities to sabotage my bank account. I waited by the toothbrushes as she looked over some feminine items. I was about to just abandon ship altogether, but then a soft, nurturing voice was heard.

"Ven?"

It was Namine's mother—a spitting image of her.

Of all the freaking people in the world…

I took a moment to compose myself as she walked over to me, pushing her cart along. Kairi was focused on razors.

"Hello, Mrs. O'Hara. It's nice to see you."

"Ven, how have you been?" she asked, placing her hand on my arm as she eyed my cart, but thankfully, she didn't question me. She spoke softly, just like Namine did. I hadn't seen her for nearly three years. The last time I saw her, we met briefly at the park. She didn't look any different. Every time I saw Mrs. O'Hara, no matter how rare, I always felt myself tearing up. She was such a broken woman, and I knew the pain that she was going through. It showed in her appearance and the way she carried herself. She used to be so vibrant and outgoing, always wearing nice clothes and looking very professional, but now she wore hoodies and didn't bother with her hair. She stooped over a lot, leaning against her cart for support. It was a sad sight to see, but I understood.

"I've been… alright. What about you?"

A longing sigh escaped her as her eyes narrowed to the ground. I knew exactly what she was going to say next. Kairi came back over to the cart, slowly placing the items into it as she watched her. My nerves shot up. I didn't want Mrs. O'Hara to think that I had moved on, even though I hadn't.

"You know, the anniversary is coming up. Every year, it gets harder and harder." She didn't seem to notice Kairi yet.

June 5th. I dreaded that day every single year. In fact, Namine's birthday was just a few days before that.

It wasn't my favorite month.

I nodded. "Yeah… I still… miss her." My emotions were tugging at me for release, but I held them in with all my might.

"You were so great to her, Ven. She truly loved you." When she looked up, she saw Kairi. "Who is this?"

A stinging sensation erupted in my heart. I gripped the cart handle as I tried to hold in everything. "Just a friend of mine," I said quietly. "I'm helping her out."

"Oh, I see." Mrs. O'Hara started sniffling. "I'm sorry. Anyway, it was nice running into you and I'm glad to see that you're doing well," she said as she pushed her cart in the opposite direction. "Bye, now."

Damn.

As I went on my way, I nearly forgot what I was doing here in the first place. Kairi was quick to remind me with her presence alone, and for a moment, I wished she was Namine.

Shopping trips with Namine were some of my fondest memories.

I abruptly ended the shopping spree and went to the register to pay. Kairi didn't try to throw anything else into the cart, and when we got to the car, she helped me put the bags into the back.

I didn't know if I would ever fully heal.

Returning home, my early start to the summer was spent locked away in the depths of my room, going through albums upon albums that Namine had put together. This was the first time I had seen her face in a while, it didn't stop the tears from surfacing. This was the worst time of the year, and actually, I was thankful to Eraqus for inadvertently giving me a break. The memories came alive as I flipped through each page, and I was physically and mentally exhausted. Shutting the book, I tossed it to the side, but it ended up falling onto the floor. I stared at the next one, but I couldn't bring myself to open it.

I had to stop holding on, but I didn't know how.

o-o-o

That night, I was awakened by a loud scream and what sounded like something hitting the wall coming from the guest room. Scrambling to throw a shirt on, I darted out into the hallway and flung the door open. Kairi was curled up into a ball on her bed and panting as she covered her ears. Her cell phone buzzed on the floor; she seemed to have thrown it.

"He's been texting me all night… saying terrible things… just make it stop…" Kairi begged. I retrieved the phone. The screen had cracked a little, but I could still clearly see everything that was coming in. Sora had texted her _two-hundred_ times. Each text consisted of one or two words. The phone continued to go off as he continued to send each message. As I went through, I only became more alarmed.

_"You dirty whore. I'll make sure you and that stupid teacher pay."_

_"Remember when I nearly drowned that guy for making fun of you? I think you should have the same fate."_

What the hell?

Oh, fuck…

_"It's nice to know that you're within walking distance, Kairi. Maybe I'll drop by Mr. Ishida's tonight."_

"He knows… where I live…" I said aloud without thinking about it. Although Sora asked me to take her under my wing, I had no idea that he actually knew where my house was. Kairi panicked and pulled the covers over her. I was about to go to her when the phone buzzed again, but this time, it wasn't a text. Sora was calling. My anger overtook me and I answered.

"Sora, this is harassment. I will call the police!"

"Now, now, Mr. Ishida, I haven't done anything yet," his chilling, calm voice appeared. Kairi peeped out from under the covers. I came closer to her; I truly felt threatened at this point.

"I really like your new dog. A corgi, huh? I guess when Olette told me that you picked him out together, it just didn't click." I glanced at Caesar, who was laying on the floor next to the bed. "I played with him today when you let him out. I had to wonder, though, why does such a sweet dog have such despicable owners?"

He was just trying to scare us…

"You stay away from my house," I warned. Sora chuckled on the other end.

"Maybe I'll come over tonight."

_Click._

My heart was racing. I wasn't sure what to think at this point, but I had to act. I wasn't one to just sit around and let someone torment me. Ignoring Kairi's pleas, I dialed 911. They answered quickly. It took a moment to collect my thoughts.

"Yes, I've been threatened and I believe the perpetrator is within the vicinity of my house. I would like some police to come check, please. I have a pregnant girl here that is the ex-girlfriend of the guy."

"Who has threatened you?" The lady asked.

"His name is Sora Fair. I'm a teacher at the University. He used to be in my class."

Our lives were on the line. Maybe I was overreacting, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Kairi looked at me with dreadful eyes.

"…We will send someone over," the lady said, but her voiced changed immediately to a more hushed and uncomfortable tone. "M-Make sure all of your doors are locked and take any protective measures."

"Okay," I said as I hung up the phone. Sending Kairi a weird look, I didn't know how to feel about it all. She acted as if this had happened before; as if she recognized his name. After snapping out of my reverie, I went all throughout the house and made sure every door and window was locked and secured, including the small, four by four window down in the basement near the stairwell. When I got back upstairs, I grabbed my gun from my nightstand and tucked it into my belt as I returned to the guest room. Kairi was going through her phone and trembling at all of the messages that filled it.

"He wants to kill me!" She shrieked as she scrolled through.

"Turn your phone off," I commanded. "You're only feeding into his games."

"If I don't answer, it will make it worse…"

"Kairi, he's not going to touch you," I assured her as I settled onto the edge of her bed. "I won't let him. You are possibly carrying my child, so your safety is important to me."

"I'm… scared," Kairi admitted as she hugged the covers. "And what do you mean, possibly? Of course he's yours…"

I knew that now wasn't the time, so I dropped it.

"You're safe. Would you like anything? Some water?" She shook her head and sniffled. We sat in silence. With each passing moment, I became more and more worried. Why were the police taking so long? Was Sora _really _nearby? Was he watching us? I didn't want to believe that I was actually in this situation right now. After a gripping fifteen minutes, the police lights finally shone from the window. An officer started heading for my front door.

"Stay here," I told Kairi as I composed myself and went to answer it. He knocked loudly.

"I got a call about a disturbance?" The officer said upon opening the door. There was another waiting in the police car, on the lookout. I invited him inside and locked the door.

"Yes, sir. My… student has been getting texts and calls all night from her ex-boyfriend. Hundreds of them. When he called, I answered and he said that he knew where I lived, and that he may stop by. I'm worried, because she's pregnant. He hit her at school the other day."

The officer wrote notes as I spoke. "Sora Fair has been arrested plenty of times in the past few years. We are well aware of who he is. We have sent an officer to go by his house, but we will also scan the area. Please stay alert. We will keep you informed." With that, he saluted and walked out, signaling for me to lock the door behind him. I was surprised that he didn't question the fact that a student was at my house, but if he wasn't going to say anything, then I wouldn't either.

"Ventus?" Kairi's tiny voice startled me as I secured the front door once more.

"Hey, just go back to your room. Try to get some sleep."

Kairi shook her head and came closer, hugging her body tightly with her arms. Her phone continued to go off in the other room, but she tried her best to ignore it. "There are some things about Sora that you should know. I swore to him that I would never tell, but… I think it's necessary… now that all of this is going on…"

"Things? Like what?"

I wasn't sure that I wanted to know.

"One time I begged him to come over and take me out of that house. My dad found out and they got into a fight—one that turned physical. Sora pulled a knife on him and cut his left shoulder, just short of his neck. That was what he was aiming for—surely, but my dad ended up pressing charges for attempted murder."

I gulped. So, Sora really was capable of physically harming me. Great.

"After an incident at my father's workplace, he dropped the charges. His desk was set on fire. Sora must have gotten someone else to do it, because he was with me all day that day, but I knew that he was behind it. My father isn't afraid of him anymore, but that sure did scare him at the time," Kairi paused and shuddered as she recalled everything.

"He's… insane," I concluded dryly, but this only made me feel worse. If Sora was crazy enough to commit arson, I had no doubt in my mind that there were some serious issues brewing.

"When Sora feels betrayed or wronged, vengeance is only the beginning," Kairi warned. "This taunting… although it's never been done to me personally until now, I truly believe that Sora will go through with whatever he's planning…"

"Well, this is what will happen. The police will be involved." I said sternly. I wasn't going to let that kid get to me.

Kairi laughed mockingly. "You think that will stop him? That only adds fuel to the flames."

"If he's locked up, he can't do any harm."

"Did you not hear me? He set my father's desk on fire without even being there. Sora has connections… deadly connections, but he isn't afraid to hurt someone. There was another time where some guys in my high school were bothering me during gym class. Sora stepped in and smashed their heads into the wall… I think one of them had a permanent head injury. Nobody reported him, though. They were too afraid."

My mouth gaped open.

"Basically, what I'm saying is… we need to watch our backs. Sora doesn't play around."

o-o-o

The night dragged on. The police stayed outside of the house until about three in the morning. Kairi had fallen asleep on the couch in the living room, and although I was dead-tired, I couldn't sleep. I pulled a blanket out of the closet and draped it over her, then sat in the recliner. Her phone continued to go off, even though it was on silent. I couldn't believe how much persistence this kid had, but it was enough to drain anyone. I reached for the phone and skimmed through.

_"Ha! You sent the police to my house? You've fucked up now."_

I began typing a response. This was ridiculous.

_"Sora, I've had enough. We can talk about this like adults, or I can keep reporting you to the authorities."_

A moment later, he was calling again. I took the phone into the kitchen. Putting the phone to my ear, I waited for him to say something.

"You really love to test me, don't you?" he snarled. I was too tired to put up with this anymore.

"I may not be afraid of you, but I do have a defenseless, mother-to-be around and I will not allow you to do this. I've already explained everything to you, and this vengeance that you feel is necessary is just immature. Act like a man, and only then—"

"Act like a man?" He interrupted. "Who is the one that lied straight to my face? Who is the one that took advantage of my one and only, and then impregnated her?"

"That is not what happened, and you know it!" My irritation was taking over and it showed in my tone.

"Kairi and I may not have been perfect, but _you _made it worse. _You _ruined what we had, and now you're going to pay! If the President isn't going to punish you, I will!"

"If that will make you feel better," I grumbled, too tired to formulate a coherent response.

"Oh, trust me. It _does_."

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** Uh oh. I have nothing to say. I hope you do, though. Please leave a review and let me know what you think! Those are always appreciated!

Keep checking for updates in my profile. I have two jobs now, so updates will be delayed more.

Thanks!


	14. Fourteen

o-o-o

**Fourteen.**

o-o-o

I think now would be the opportune time to admit how hypocritical I really am.

My actions were different from my words on more occasions than one. For the next few days, I kept myself and Kairi home bound. I only time I went outside was when Caesar did, but even then, I kept him on a leash. I watched all of my surroundings. My cell phone remained charged and I constantly was checking my electric circuits just to make sure they weren't tampered with.

I guess you could say that I was a little paranoid.

Growing up with my brother, I learned a lot of second-hand self-defense methods. I used to pull my brother from fights and fend off the perpetrators back in middle school and high school. I never hurt anybody; I merely defended myself and my family.

I will not hesitate to do the same now.

When you are in the stages of becoming a parent—no, a father, you feel a sense of duty. You must do three things: provide, nurture and protect. If there's an imbalance with these, trouble arises in the family structure.

I was determined to bring my child into a safe, healthy environment. I would not settle for anything less.

However, it has been four days since those threatening calls, and we hadn't heard anything.

I came back inside and took Caesar off his leash. I noticed that there were a few dishes stacked up in the sink, as well as some plates with unfinished food on the counter. Since I was on edge and sleep deprived, my agitation was easily rendered.

"Kairi! Get in here!"

She came into the kitchen a moment later, protecting the small bump on her belly with her hands.

"Get this stuff cleaned up. I didn't let you stay with me so that you could trash my house."

"I was going to do it. I was just feeling a little sick so I had to lay down for a bit." She walked over to the sink. I eased up a little. "No need to be a jerk," she said as she started on them.

Sighing, I headed for the doorway. "I'm sorry."

"I'm scared too, you know. I feel like I haven't seen sunlight in days."

"Open your curtains, then."

"I can't. He's watching."

Her words left me shaking. "Is he really?"

"I know him. He won't stop until _he_ feels better."

After standing in the doorway for a moment in silence, I decided to head over to the window and peer out. My hand grasped the living room curtain tightly as my front yard came into view. It wasn't until a few seconds later that I realized something.

"This is fucking ridiculous." With that, I opened the curtains and let the sun light up the room.

I wasn't going to let him win.

o-o-o

It was time to get myself together.

Normally, I would take up a part time job over the summer just so I could have some income during the three and a half months that I wasn't teaching. I wasn't about to make this year any different, but now I obviously had a greater need for more money.

Dragging Kairi and Caesar along with me, I drove down to the beach. One, this could be a place where we could just sit and relax, and two, I needed to speak with a former employer of mine. Unbeknownst to many, I was certified in CPR and First Aid, and because of that, I used to work as a lifeguard every summer since I was fifteen, and some during the year to help pay for college. This year was no different. I parked in front of the shack where my employer most likely was.

"There's something I have to do first. You can come into the building with me, but make sure you hold Caesar's leash tightly."

"Okay," Kairi said.

Entering the small building, I immediately recognized one of my former co-workers. Clad in a yellow bikini, she sat at the desk in front of a computer screen. A small fan was blowing next to her. When she looked up, she gasped.

"Whoa! Ven! What are you doing here? Did you come to work for the summer again?" She beamed, coming over and wrapping me in a tight hug.

"Hey, Yuna. How have you been?"

"I've been lovely! What about you?" She noticed Kairi behind me, as well as my corgi. "Oh? Who is this fine young lady?"

"She's my friend. Hey, is Miss Rinoa around?"

"She sure is!" Yuna exclaimed as she went back into the small office. A moment later, she emerged, along with Miss Rinoa.

"Ven, it's so nice to see you. Looking for a job, I assume?"

"How did you know?" I joked, grinning. "Yeah, just for the summer, like always."

"I'm sure that can be arranged," Miss Rinoa said as she went over to the computer. "We were looking for some people, so you came at the right time. You know you're always welcome back here."

"Thanks a lot."

I made about eighteen an hour at this job, but I wondered if I should ask for a teeny bit more. I had been here so long, so I figured now was the perfect time to ask for a raise. The problem was, I wasn't sure how to do so.

"Um, Miss Rinoa," I began, trying to form my words together as I came closer, "To tell the truth, I…"

"Yes? What is it?"

"Pretty soon, I'll be... starting… a family… and…"

"Oh my goodness! Really?!" Yuna exclaimed. Kairi went pale as I continued.

"I was wondering, would it be possible to raise me from eighteen to twenty-one an hour?"

An extra three dollars could help a lot, in my opinion. Besides, I was confident in my abilities, and Miss Rinoa knew that she could depend on me. She seemed to be thinking about it.

"How about this," she started, "I'll start you out at twenty and give you at least twenty-eight hours a week. Fair?"

I guess I couldn't complain, but I also didn't want to sell myself short. A child was expensive. Before I was able to respond, however, Yuna spoke for me.

"Come on, Miss Rinoa! What's another dollar?"

"Hmm… yeah, I suppose you're right." She looked back at me. "When would you like to start?"

"I can start tomorrow if you want me to," I said, but then immediately regretted it.

Tomorrow was June 5th.

However, I couldn't take it back.

"Be here at eleven. I can have a schedule for you, then, as well as the necessary forms."

"Thank you so much."

"We're glad to have you back," Miss Rinoa said. "When is your baby due?"

I glanced at Kairi for a moment before responding. "Mid-November."

I think she knew that Kairi wasn't just a friend.

"Well, congratulations."

"…Thank you."

"Eeek! I'm so excited! We're going to be partners again!" Yuna said as she clung to my arm. I was pretty used to her over-affectionate ways, but I had known her for about ten years. If she was interested, she would have made a move a long time ago… when I was single, of course.

Kairi and I left the small shack and stepped out into the hot sand. Caesar was desperate to explore the new area. Kairi stayed quiet while she pulled him along. Her eyes stuck to the sand and she nearly flung forward when Caesar dashed toward a crab.

"Caesar!" She tugged on the leash and caught up to him, but then her mellow expression returned.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"N-Nothing."

I decided to go with the only suspicion I had for this sudden change in her mood. "Yuna is my co-worker. As of last year, she became engaged."

Wait, why was I explaining this to her? It wasn't like we were together.

"That's not it."

Phew. Problem averted.

"What, then?"

"If you're going to be working, that means I'll be at your house… alone." She kicked the sand beneath her.

"I know, but I thought… well, if you wanted, you could just come to work with me."

It was a crazy idea, but it was the only way I could continue to keep an eye on her and still get things done that needed to be done.

"It's hot. I would get so many headaches."

"You can hang out in the office."

"And be bored to death?"

"Or… you can get a job too. Maybe you can work with Vanitas."

She seemed to be considering it.

"Regardless, we're going to have to be able to provide for this baby. Now, I don't mind working forty hours a week to do that, but every little bit counts. Also, getting out of that house could be good for you."

We stopped by the shore. Caesar sat next to Kairi.

"But what if I get sick? What if I have to miss work a lot? Do I tell them that I'm pregnant?"

"People get pregnant there all the time."

Kairi's eyes shifted. "What are you trying to say?"

Realizing the implications, I shook my head. "I mean, the place Vanitas works is very flexible. He can pick you up and bring you home, too."

"I don't know, Ventus…"

It was so weird hearing my full name like that all the time from someone other than an authority figure.

"Hey, Kairi?" I said, looking down at her.

"Yeah?"

"Just… call me Ven, okay?"

She nodded. A small grin formed across her face.

"Okay, Ven."

o-o-o

My mom finally got a hold of me later that afternoon. Although she was a little upset, I could still sense the excitement in her voice. Even though she wanted Vanitas to take care of Lilah and teach her, she loved her grandchild. If anything, she couldn't wait for me to reproduce. I was the one expected to do so in the first place.

It sounds weird if I say it that way. Heh.

So now, the night before Namine's death anniversary, I was taking Kairi over to meet my parents. Inevitably, she would be a part of their lives and vice versa.

"Ven, my feet feel swollen," Kairi whined from the hallway. I grabbed my keys and made sure Caesar was on his leash before heading out. I didn't feel comfortable leaving him at home, and I was sure that my parents wouldn't mind.

"Well, you won't be on them much," I assured, not really knowing how to help her. We loaded into my car and went on our way.

"She's going to hate me," Kairi concluded.

"She's probably more upset with me. Don't worry, when our son is born," I paused, noting my word choices, "…she will feel better."

"That's what they all say, but her adoration for her grandchild has nothing to do with me."

"It will be okay."

Kairi was quiet for most of the drive. I knew that she had a lot on her mind, and I tried not to intervene.

"I can feel the baby moving now. Sometimes it tickles and others it just feels weird."

"Oh, really?"

"Thankfully I don't get that much morning sickness anymore."

"That's good."

Kairi adjusted in her seat, taking a deep breath as she placed her hands across her stomach. "Oh, there it goes again. He likes to kick me." Her face scrunched a little.

I kind of wanted to touch it, but I kept that to myself.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine," Kairi said. We were about five minutes away from my parent's house. "By the way, have you thought of any names?"

"Actually, I haven't."

"I think Alex is a cute name… or Shane."

"Yeah, but they're too common," I replied, unsure of why I was even contributing to this conversation. This was something that couples did together. It felt weird to me.

"We should really start brainstorming some names."

"I just thought it would come naturally to me when I see him."

I really didn't want to talk about this, even though I knew it would come up eventually. Thankfully, I turned onto my parent's street and pulled into the driveway. I smiled when I saw Lilah playing in the front yard, but then I remembered why we came here. My mother and Vanitas were sitting on the front porch. Kairi kept quiet as she anticipated the worst.

"Just mind your manners and you'll be fine," I told her. Even though it didn't seem like it, Kairi did have _some_ sort of decency. I got out of the car and waved to them. Lilah came running.

"Uncle Ven! I haven't seen you in forever! It felt like ten years!"

"You haven't even been alive that long," I said, chuckling. Kairi got out of the car.

"Who is she?" Lilah asked, not letting go of me.

"This is a friend of mine. Her name is Kairi."

"Hi," Kairi greeted, but I could tell she was nervous as hell. Vanitas and my mother came over to us.

"She's not very pretty."

"Lilah!" I hushed her. Kairi didn't seem to hear. She was more focused on my mother.

"What's up?" Vanitas asked. Kairi sent him a weak smile before her eyes landed on my suspecting mother. She bowed to her.

"Uh, mom, this is… Kairi."

"I see," she said; her sketchy eyes not faltering.

"It's nice to… meet you…"

"Oh, come on. No need to be nervous!" Vanitas announced. "I made some killer tacos. Let's go eat!"

I could not thank my brother enough for trying to ease the tension. Lilah happily ran after him and into the house. My mother went next, and then I walked with Kairi to the door. Although she had been here once before, she looked as if she was really out of place, and that was understandable. Once we got into the kitchen, Vanitas was already handing us plates.

"Alright, build your own. Don't be all modest. Eat as much as you want."

"Daddy, I want lots of cheese and tomatoes on mine!"

"Tomatoes?" Vanitas questioned, giving his daughter a weird look. "You hate those."

"No, I like them now! Sophia eats them and says they're good for me!"

"Yeah, okay," Vanitas said sarcastically as he prepared her plate.

Kairi let my mother serve herself first. She stayed close to me. Once we all got our food, we sat at the table. Lilah made an absolute mess, as expected.

"Baby girl, slow down! And clean the shit off your mouth!" Vanitas demanded, receiving glares from my mother and I at the same time. He merely shrugged it off as he ended up wiping Lilah's mouth with a napkin for her. "Why aren't you eating your tomatoes?"

"These aren't the right tomatoes. They're yucky."

Vanitas smacked his forehead in annoyance.

"So, Kairi," my mother began as she placed a napkin in her lap, "You go to school, right?"

"Uh, yes. I mean… I did."

"You did?"

Kairi's lip curled as she looked over at me. "I… can't afford another semester."

"I see. Do you work?"

"I'm looking for a job."

"How are you going to support this child? Were you going to depend on my son?"

"Mom," I interrupted, but she was intent on drilling Kairi.

"Of course not. I've already put in several applications. I've always been taught to support myself."

Wow. Kairi was a natural, even when she felt super pressured. Of course, my mom didn't really know any better, so she just stopped talking.

"Oh, Van, what about the thrift store?" I reminded him.

"Oh yeah! You should work with me. I can make a good recommendation."

"Thank you. I should look into it," Kairi responded. I was glad that they at least got along. It was very refreshing, considering my mother didn't seem to like her at all. She continued to watch her carefully as she ate, shooting a glare at me every now and then. I could tell that Kairi was trying to ignore her.

"Kairi, why is your hair red?" Lilah asked with her mouth full. Vanitas was about to scold her, but Kairi interrupted.

"It's always been this color."

"Daddy! I want my hair to be that color!"

"Hell no."

So far, everything seemed to be going okay, despite my mother's bitchy attitude. She may not have been my girlfriend or anything, but I still wanted my family to like her, probably because I didn't want any more stress in my life than I already had.

Kairi barely touched her food. My mom didn't ask her anymore questions, but she didn't hesitate to pull me aside after dinner. We went out onto the back porch while Kairi and Vanitas watched Lilah.

"What on earth were you thinking? One, you lied to me, and two, what does this mean for your job?"

"Thankfully, I was given a second chance by the President. Also, I'm going to work at the beach over the summer. Trust me, mom, I don't know. I was… I was drunk."

"Are you serious? How could you make such a mistake? You were supposed to be the good son, unlike your careless, immature brother."

"Mom, please don't talk about Van that way. He's doing his best and he's actually matured a lot."

She didn't respond at first.

"I just expected so much more from you. I haven't bothered you about it because I know you're still sad about Nami-chan's death, but really? Your student?"

My mother loved Namine like her own.

"I told you—"

"I don't like her. She's full of it. I don't believe for a second that she is capable of holding a job."

"Well, I do."

Now I was defending Kairi?

"She's definitely not like Namine."

"Please don't bring her up."

"I thought you had higher standards, Ven."

"Mom—"

"Honestly, she's just seems like she's using you."

"I'm done talking about this," I said. "I've already explained myself."

My mother scoffed and went inside. I stayed and leaned over the railing. This was just great. Although it wasn't the best of circumstances, my mother was letting her hasty judgment get in the way. She had always been like this, and I wasn't sure what I was expecting. A minute later, Kairi and Vanitas came outside.

"She hates me, doesn't she?" Kairi asked as she stood behind me. Although I knew the truth, I merely shrugged.

"Who cares?" Vanitas interjected. "You don't have to answer to her."

"It still hurts. I felt like she was judging me the whole time."

"She does that. She hates me too. Don't worry." Vanitas patted Kairi on the back. Before anyone else could say anything, Lilah opened the back door.

"You all left me!"

"No we didn't," Kairi said as she sat down on the step. Lilah sat next to her. "Hey, Lilah, want to know a secret?"

"Oh, I love secrets! I only tell Bobo the Bear my secrets!"

"Put your hand here," Kairi said, taking Lilah's tiny arm and placing it across her belly. "There's a baby in there. Do you feel him kicking?"

"A baby?" Lilah asked, fascinated by this. For a split second, I was slightly jealous of Lilah.

Wait a minute, what?

"Alright, alright, don't smother her, now," Vanitas said, going to retrieve his daughter. "Anyway, Kairi, come by my work tomorrow. I'll let you talk to the boss."

"You really think I can get hired?"

"Psh, I know you can."

Zoning them out, I questioned myself more and more with each passing minute. My life was on the fast track, and I was having trouble keeping up. My mom hated the mother of my child. My career was on thin ice. I knew I couldn't protect Kairi every second of the day, but now I had another question.

How much did Kairi actually mean to me?

Looking at her right now; watching her interact with Lilah, I could sense her motherly tendencies already coming out. Despite her needing an attitude adjustment much of the time, I was actually starting to see a different side of her—one that said, hey, she's not that bad.

Honestly, it made me more uneasy than I liked to admit. Ever since Namine died, I hadn't even been able to look at another girl.

So what was so different about this one, other than my obligation to her? In fact, maybe it was just that. Maybe I had been alone so long that I was starting to become dependent.

I didn't want that…

"Kairi, you're funny! I like you! Will you be my big sister?" Lilah asked, snapping me out of it.

"I would be glad to."

Her genuine smile as she patted my niece's head was cute.

Oh, god. Was I seriously talking like this?!

Turning back around, I leaned over the porch railing and tried to drown out the crazy thoughts.

o-o-o

We left about an hour later.

"I'm glad that at least your niece likes me," Kairi said as she strapped her seatbelt on.

"Yeah. I didn't expect her to."

"What does that mean?" Kairi asked, but then chuckled. I gulped as I pulled out of the driveway. I had popped in a CD, and the tune made me feel slightly better than just awkward silence. Kairi wasn't complaining about my choice in music, either. In fact, she turned it up.

"This song is nice."

"Mhm."

"I like soft rock and pop songs."

"I see. That's cool."

"Do you think it's true that listening to classical music during a pregnancy will make your baby smarter? I heard that somewhere."

"I think that's a bunch of BS," I said. I couldn't help but laugh.

When we got out on the main road, I noticed a silver Hyundai closer to my tail than usual. It trailed behind me, and due to the traffic constraints, I was unable to focus much on it.

"Oh my god, he's following us!" Kairi shrieked, suddenly ducking in her seat. "That's… that's… Sora's car…"

"Are you shitting me?" I checked my rearview mirror as soon as we came to a stop light. Sure enough, Sora was sitting in the driver's seat.

Unbelievable!

"We're going to take a little detour," I informed her, speeding off as soon as the light turned green. Sora remained right behind me, and if I were to stop…

Then it would be _his _fault…

Nah. I wasn't looking to damage my car for his sake. If he wants to chase me, then so be it. Stepping on the gas, I quickly moved into the next lane where he couldn't get to, causing some honking in the process from other cars. Kairi held onto the handle above her. I saw an upcoming exit from the highway and fully took advantage of it.

Sora didn't follow.

Going through the faintly familiar area, I made my way back to the highway. I made sure to look for a silver Hyundai as I merged back in, He must have done this just to taunt us and was probably laughing about it right about now. I didn't let my guard down, but I did let out a sigh of relief.

"Watch out?" Kairi read from her phone. In the mere moment that I glanced over at her, all of a sudden, I heard a loud, screeching noise just before a car rammed into back left side of mine. I flung forward, but automatically put my arm out to stop Kairi from doing the same before I crashed into another car. The blue car that hit me sped off.

"K-Kairi, are you okay?!"

She covered her head with her hands and shook violently. My breathing increased as the person that I hit in front of me came out to inspect. She knocked angrily on my window. Taking a moment to process everything, I took the keys from the ignition and got out of my car.

"What the hell is the matter with you?!" She yelled. She was a bit older than me.

"I'm sorry, m'am. I didn't mean to—"

"Are you going to pay for this?!" She pointed right to her bender. It had a huge dent on the side from where I hit it.

"M'am, you don't understand. I was—"

"Give me your information. Now!"

Just before I got out my wallet, the car door slammed and Kairi came marching over. Tears rolled down her face as she tried to contain her anger.

"_Listen, LADY,_" she hissed, not hesitating to get right in her face, "A car hit us first, which caused us to run into you! We didn't mean to do it, so just fuck off!"

Insulted, she just scoffed as she stomped back to her car. I gave Kairi a worried look as she broke down right in front of me.

"I-I'm sorry…" she said, trembling as she tried to stop her tears.

...

I didn't know what to do.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** Lots of dialogue in this chapter, huh? Please **review**! Also, congratulations to Fujubop, my 100th reviewer! You will get a oneshot as well, but it will be a while. MusicalSage, I'm still working on yours!

I've added some songs to the playlist. Fun facts for the day:  
Vanitas' themes for this fic:  
"Thrift Shop" by Mackelmore  
"Delilah" by Tom Jones

Kairi's themes for this fic:  
"Chandelier" by Sia  
"Elastic Heart" by Sia  
"All Around Me" by Flyleaf  
"Because of You" by Kelly Clarkson  
"The Story Only I Didn't Know" by IU

Ven's themes for this fic:  
"I Want to know What Love Is" by Foreigner  
"One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men  
"What do you want from Me" by Adam Lambert  
"Madly" by FT Island  
"Waiting for a girl like you" by Foreigner


	15. Fifteen

**A/N:** I had trouble writing this chapter. It's just so… uh. Just read it. Do note that I was listening to Ventus' theme the majority of the time, if that gives you any hints.

o-o-o

**Fifteen.**

o-o-o

This was getting very serious.

After talking with the police, I got back into my car and sat there for a moment, taking in everything that just happened. Kairi's eyes were red from crying so much, and she just kept her gaze on the window. I started my car and went on my way.

I was starting to wonder if the police could really help in this situation. I wanted to get a restraining order, but first, I wanted to beat Sora to the ground. He was completely psycho and I couldn't understand one bit why he was doing this other than for revenge. Was he really _that_ torn up about it? I wasn't about to let him take over my life, so I had to do something.

I dropped Kairi and Caesar back off at my parent's house.

"Stay here. Vanitas will look after you," I told her as I headed for the door. Vanitas came out of his room.

"What's going on?"

"Her ex is insane. I'm going to go and knock some sense into him."

"You can't do that!" Kairi shrieked.

"If you're going to go and whoop someone's ass, at least bring me with you! I told you, if he lays one finger on either of you—"

"I need you to stay here with Kairi. I can do this on my own. I'm not afraid of some stupid kid. He crossed the line."

"Ven!" Kairi called out. "Please don't do this… not alone, anyway…"

I knew she wanted this all to end.

"I'm just going to talk to him. If he gets violent, I'll defend myself."

"Talking is not going to accomplish anything," Vanitas intervened. "He needs a good beating, and who better to do it than the Ishida brothers?! I won't allow you to go alone. Mom is here. She can hold down the fort." Vanitas didn't give me a chance to protest as he grabbed his keys.

"Daddy, where are you going?" A tired Lilah asked from the kitchen entryway.

"I'm going to whoop some ass, darling."

She rubbed her eyes, probably unsure of what that meant. "When you come back, will you read the pony story to me again?"

"I'll read whatever you want," Vanitas said as he placed his hand on the doorknob. "Come on, Ven."

We exited through the front door. Taking one last look at Kairi before I left, I shut it and waited until Vanitas locked it before heading over to his car. He kind of just led me over there, anyway. The crescent moon hid behind some clouds and it was fairly chilly tonight, which was a little weird.

I got out my phone as soon as we got into the car. I saved Sora's number a few days ago. As I waited for him to answer, I gave Vanitas an anxious look.

"Yes?" he said rather impatiently on the other line.

"Sora, where are you? We need to talk. _Now_."

"Don't worry about where I am. If you have something to say, you can say it now."

"No. Meet me at Heartland Park in twenty minutes." I hung up the phone. Vanitas immediately began heading in that direction.

"That bastard hit your car?"

"Maybe not him, but someone that knew him did. He was following us all the way home."

"Shit," Vanitas' mouth gaped open. "He's psychotic…"

"That's what I've been saying. Now, I'm going to talk to him alone, but if he starts to get physical—"

"Hell no. Do you _really_ think that Sora will go there by himself? I bet he'll have a sniper hidden somewhere. Watch your back. I brought my .45 just in case."

Letting out a wary sigh, I leaned back in the seat and tried to relax. Shutting my eyes, I made one last desperate attempt to ask for Namine's help.

But even the night before her death anniversary, she couldn't answer me.

_Namine…_

"Dude, you alright? We're almost there," Vanitas asked, but I barely heard him.

_Namine, please help me get through this._

"And now, we wait." Vanitas said as he pulled into the parking lot. Keeping his hand on the key, he searched to see if anyone was already there. I held my phone tightly in my hands. I wasn't even sure if Sora was going to show up, and if he did, what on earth I would even say to him. I knew that Vanitas had my back, at least.

My mom didn't give him enough credit. Despite being here to possibly harm someone, he had actually made some major lifestyle changes. Yeah, he let his anger get the best of him every now and then, but Vanitas has come a long way. He knew how dangerous the world could be. I liked to hold on to optimism a little more so than he did, which was probably why I thought I could just ask Sora to come here and talk to me without any repercussions. However, deep down, I knew that a fight may occur.

It went well past twenty minutes.

I had called Sora several times, only to get no response. Vanitas was starting to get fidgety.

"What a coward. He can't even show his damn face!"

I sighed and stared at the clock. It was nearing eleven. I was about to call him again when I got a text from Kairi.

_"Are you okay? What's going on?"_

_"Everything's fine. He hasn't shown up yet. Stay there and make sure all the doors are locked again."_

A minute later, she messaged back.

_"Please… be careful…"_

A chill ran down my spine upon reading that.

_"You don't have to worry. I'll be okay."_ I put my phone away and waited a little longer.

"Where the hell is he?" Vanitas asked, grasping the steering wheel and checking his surroundings once more. Suddenly, a light flashed behind us. I watched from my rearview mirror as the silver car came into the parking lot and parked several spaces down. It was Sora's car, alright.

"Is that him?"

Sora got out of the car and lit a cigarette. He leaned against it, not looking up at us once.

"Yeah. Stay here." I said, gripping the handle. I hesitated, but after a moment or two, I gathered my courage and stepped out of the car. Of course, Vanitas didn't listen to me and did the same.

"I told you, we're here together. I don't care what sort of pride you have, pride won't save you when a bullet goes straight through your head. Got it?"

I didn't feel like arguing. My gaze was set on Sora. He still refused to make eye contact as he continued to smoke. As we walked toward him, I became more and more nervous. My head was spinning with possibilities, and Sora's calm demeanor wasn't making it any better.

I think he knew that.

"You're late," I started, folding my arms.

"So? I had stuff to do."

"Sora, this needs to stop. This is ridiculous."

"Why? I'm having too much fun."

"Why, you little—" Vanitas was about to dart toward him, but I stopped him.

"What more do I need to say to you? I never wanted Kairi. It was a mistake. I'm just taking up my responsibility."

Sora chuckled in response. "Do you _really_ think that you're the father? How do you know that it's not me? Or even Riku? Or, oh, get _this_, Kairi's own father?"

"What the hell?! That's sick!" I yelled.

"I guess you didn't know that her father used to rape her," Sora said casually, shrugging it off as he dropped his cigarette on the ground. He made an extra effort to stomp on it, causing me to flinch. A smirk appeared on his face in response.

"Even if I'm not the father, I refuse to let her go back to someone as pitiful as you, Sora. You try to act so innocent, like you have turned your life around or whatever, but—"

Sora held up his hand and then with his other, began looking as if he was cleaning out his ear. Vanitas grunted next to me.

"You're too noisy. Just get to the point so I can go home. I'm bored."

Before I could say anything, Vanitas cocked his gun and pointed it straight at him. Sora didn't seem bothered by it one bit, in fact, to him it was quite amusing. He looked back at me.

"You were afraid of me, so you brought back up?"

"I'll get to the point. You will leave me, my family and Kairi alone, or I will not hesitate to take you to court. I will get you put behind bars faster than you can blink."

Sora blinked several times, making my blood boil. I tried to keep it under the surface, however.

"I'm still here."

"What do you want from him?" Vanitas chimed in.

"What do I want?"

Vanitas just kept pointing his gun. I too wanted to know the answer to this question, so I just set my sights on him.

"I want Kairi."

o-o-o

Vanitas and I made it back to the house safely.

"That bastard is going to get what's coming to him. If you won't do it, I will. Bitch needs to be put in his place!"

"Alright, calm down," I said as we stood in front of the front door. Vanitas unlocked it and walked inside. Kairi was in the living room with Lilah. They were curled up together on the couch.

I tried to suppress my urge to wake her. She looked exhausted, so Vanitas and I just left them there. Heading into the kitchen, Vanitas grabbed a beer from the fridge and set it on the counter. Instead of opening it, however, he just stared at it.

"Do you think it's going to get worse?"

"I wouldn't doubt it."

"We have to do something before it does. I hate just standing around."

"Me too…"

Vanitas noted the time. It was after midnight. He gave me an anxious look.

"You going to be alright today?"

Was it June 5th already?

"Uh, yeah…" I responded, but I wasn't so sure. Just then, Kairi came into the kitchen.

"What happened?" She asked drowsily. Vanitas and I exchanged worried looks.

"Nothing. He was just being a dick," Vanitas answered for me. "We'll get him taken care of. Don't worry."

Kairi seemed unsure about this answer. She stood next to me.

"Do you need help putting Lilah to bed?"

"Nah, she can just stay there if she's already asleep. I'm more surprised that you didn't wake her up."

"Are you ready to go?" I asked her. I didn't want to stick around longer than I needed to. She nodded and we made our way out the door. My car looked pitiful. Kairi stayed close behind me as we walked. Vanitas waited until we had left before going back inside.

The drive was a quiet one. We were both pretty tired from the day beforehand, and now that Namine's death anniversary was here, I was automatically in no mood to talk.

"Sora sent me a message earlier. He called me stupid… and some other things. I feel like it never stops."

"I'm sorry that all of this is happening, Kairi. I'm doing my best."

She didn't respond, so I just dropped it. I continuously checked my mirrors, but it didn't seem like anyone was following me. Turning onto my street fifteen minutes later, I made sure that no one was around before I parked in the driveway. Everything seemed fine, so I got out and went around to retrieve Caesar and wait for Kairi. She stayed in the car a little longer before emerging. Without a word, we walked to the front door. Caesar followed after he did his business.

The house was dark. I didn't even bother to turn on any lights. I was too shaken up by what just happened.

"Goodnight," Kairi said as she went into her room and shut the door.

o-o-o

June 5th, 2009.

That was the day that I lost her.

A morning drizzle splashed against the windows. I stood, motionless as I watched the rain.

It _always _rained. Six years straight.

However, something was different this time. This time, the sun was peering through the cloudy sky, lighting up everything beneath it. In a way, it calmed me. In others, it only made me miss her more.

I didn't cry. I just stood there. My eyes lowered to grass below.

Mrs. O'Hara was right. Every year it got harder, and every year, I found new ways to cope. Despite my initial thoughts of believing I could never live without her, here I was. Despite all of the sleepless nights I spent wishing for her return, I was still breathing. I kept waking up the next morning. I kept going to class. My life didn't stop when she died, as much as I wanted it to.

How did I make it this far?

Opening my closet, I pulled out my umbrella and a jacket. This was the only time I had to visit her—at six thirty in the morning. I knew that I shouldn't leave my house unattended, but I fully hoped that things would be alright for at least an hour.

Just give me one hour.

I went into autopilot as soon as I started driving. I used to buy real flowers, but seeing them shrivel up and, well… _die_, only a day or two later really put more stress on me, so I just started buying the best quality, artificial flowers that I could find. I wanted her gravesite to be decorated year-round.

Namine liked those better, anyway. That was why it was okay.

I didn't know how long I was driving. You would think that I knew the distance to the graveyard by now, but every time I went, the time between my house and there was lost. I was like a zombie at this point.

Flowers in hand, I walked down the concrete path, past the multitude of tombstones.

Namine's was situated under a tree. Her parents had embellished her nearly four foot tombstone with many different flowers—artificial as well. A grieving cement angel was on top; its wings framing the tomb as it hid its face in its arm. Her name was carved in cursive.

_Namine O'Hara.  
June 2__nd__, 1986 – June 5__th__, 2009.  
Our Beloved Angel._

My lip trembled and my eyes watered as I knelt down and placed the flowers in accordance with the others. The tombstone blurred in my vision as I struggled to keep it together.

"Well, here I am," I said softly.

So far, I was doing better than last year. Last year, I sat here for hours on end.

"You doing alright up there?"

Birds chirped from the tree above. I guess that meant yes.

"Oh, you're here early…" Mrs. O'Hara's voice appeared. Dressed in all black, along with her husband, the two stood next to me. Mr. O'Hara merely nodded at me. I could tell he was trying not to break down like I was. My fist shook at my side as I held tightly onto my umbrella with the other hand.

"What more can we say at this point?" Mrs. O'Hara started as she added to the many flowers. "My precious Namine… my only daughter…"

I turned my head. Inevitably, tears rolled down my cheeks. Mr. O'Hara stood next to me, holding the umbrella over Mrs. O'Hara while he let the rain hit him. She grasped the sides of the tombstone with her hands and cried uncontrollably. I tried to wipe my tears and be strong, but it was next to impossible.

After a few minutes, Mr. O'Hara gave up his umbrella and he and I went over to the closest bench. Namine's mother remained in front of her tomb, praying. I decided to put my umbrella away. It was getting too tiring to hold it. I didn't care about a little rain. Mr. O'Hara took off his glasses and put them into a case.

"The other day, something weird happened."

I gave him my attention, but continued to stare blankly at the tomb.

"I was working on the roof. I realized that I was out of nails, so I went to the latter to get down. As I was doing that, my foot slipped on one of the steps. I should have fallen backward, but I felt something grab my shirt and pull me forward. I regained my balance. When I looked up," he pulled a white cloth out of his pocket that I recognized immediately. "This handkerchief was hanging from the gutter. It wasn't there before, so I wasn't really sure what happened, but I fully believed that it was Namine that left it there after she saved me."

"Wow."

He handed the handkerchief to me. "I think she wanted you to have this. See, here?" He pointed to the bottom edge of the cloth. Something was sewn there in small, blue letters.

_'Oh, my little one. I know you will grow to be as great as your father.'_

My heart nearly stopped.

"S-She was…?" I gave him an astounded look. Mr. O'Hara nodded in shame.

"My daughter wasn't the only one we lost that day. We didn't know until we found this. You would think that the autopsy would have told us, but apparently not. I guess it was in the very early stages, but even then, it doesn't make sense that something like that would have been missed…"

Wide-eyed, I held the handkerchief in my hands tightly as I broke down. "I… I thought she wasn't able to…"

"It was a miracle, I guess. Unfortunately…"

My insides were screaming. My entire body was shaking with this revelation. Not only did I lose the love of my life, but…

It felt like it happened all over again. My tears didn't stop as I buried my face in my hands. This was some kind of punishment, right? Karma was laughing at me, and all I could do was hide behind the walls of my pain. Everything was crumbling around me.

I just… wanted to disappear…

o-o-o

I returned home three hours later.

Walking with the handkerchief in my hands, I nearly ran into the wall next to the kitchen door. Kairi came out of the kitchen with a strange look on her face, but I hardly acknowledged her as I walked down the hallway.

"Where were you? You left me here…"

"Not now," I said, simply shutting my bedroom door. A moment later, Kairi knocked.

"Ven? What's wrong?"

She was pregnant. Namine was pregnant.

"Ven?"

I needed to drown everything out. There was no way I could show my face at work today. Maybe Miss Rinoa would understand…

No. I couldn't do that… not on my first day back…

Glancing at the clock, I realized that I only had about an hour to get down there. I also had to drop Kairi off at Vanitas' work.

…I can't do this. I can't do this…

My Namine… was…

Eventually, Kairi opened the door. I guess I forgot to lock it behind me. I sat on my bed and didn't let go of the cloth.

"Ven, where did you go? What's the matter?"

I merely shook my head. Kairi sat next to me.

"I'm going to call Vanitas to pick you up. I have… to go to… work…" I reached for my phone, but Kairi pulled my hand back and placed it onto her stomach. I felt a little pressure as my hand grazed over it.

"He's really active today. I thought you might—"

Suddenly, I broke my hand away and stood up. I'll admit, I wanted to, but I couldn't handle this right now. "N-No. Please… please leave…"

"What?"

"Leave me alone… I need… to be…"

_Alone_…

"I thought you would like to feel when your son is kicking!"

"Stop! Just stop!" I covered my ears as I fell to the floor. This was the worst day ever…

Suddenly, Namine's smile flashed through my mind.

Namine, what does this mean? What are you trying to tell me?!

"Fine, if you're not going to talk to me, then I'll just go," Kairi said angrily, marching over to the door. In that moment, I glanced up at her.

_No..._

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** That was intense! I didn't expect to finish this chapter this morning, but since I did, I hope you enjoyed the quick update. I definitely cried while writing this.

In the next chapter, there will be some heart to heart.

**Review**!


	16. Sixteen

**A/N:** Emotions. EMOTIONS

o-o-o

**Sixteen.**

o-o-o

I'm a jerk.

Despite my current condition, I felt the urgent desire to fix what had just happened. Of course I wanted to feel my son kicking… I mean, that was why I had that slight tinge of jealousy yesterday, right?

However, it was taking me a moment to adjust. It was like I had just lost a child of my own along with my beloved Namine, so… I'm sorry… I couldn't just pretend like I wasn't bothered by this. Namine and I were in the process of getting engaged, so I would not have minded if we had a child then. We were looking into adoption, because, well, the doctors told Namine she couldn't safely conceive due to a medical anomaly.

I guess they were wrong.

But why did I just see Namine smile? What did it all mean? This wasn't a movie. This was real life. I wasn't sure that I believed in reincarnation, either. I may have been making this out to be crazier than it actually was. My mind was playing tricks on me, surely.

They say that everything happens for a reason.

I completely loathe that saying.

Gathering myself, I rose to my feet and basically limped out of the room, even though I wasn't physically hurt. It wasn't fair to Kairi for me to act this way, no matter how torn up I was, especially when she tried to make me feel better. I slowly knocked on her bedroom door.

"Kairi? I'm sorry."

"Go away."

Her words stung my already heartbroken state, and I wasn't sure why.

"L-Look, today just hasn't been a good day… today was the day… that she died." Surprised that the entire sentence came out in one piece, I took a small step back and hoped that I didn't have to repeat myself. A moment later, Kairi opened the door and looked up at me with worry in her eyes.

"She? That girl from the picture that I found at the hotel?"

I nodded, trying to hold back the watery substance forming. Kairi let me into the room.

"Just who was she? I don't believe you ever told me."

Explaining who Namine was now was pretty difficult, despite me being able to do it with such ease in the past. I could barely even see her anymore, let alone hear her like I used to, but now I felt like the message she was sending me was loud and clear.

"She… was the love of my life."

Did I need to say more? I didn't think so, so my mouth stayed shut. Kairi came around to my front side, tilting her head slightly in a mix of confusion and pity. I didn't want to be pitied, but maybe for once, I didn't have to be alone today like I had been for the past six years. I've had more interaction on this death anniversary than I ever anticipated, and I could only assume that going to work would make it worse.

If I didn't find out that Namine was indeed pregnant, than maybe I would have been able to get through it. Now, I didn't know how.

"May I ask… how it happened?"

My teeth clashed as I tried to stay still. The pain was surfacing—the memory that I had vowed to let go of was coming alive once more. On fast forward, it played out in my head.

I needed to sit down. Going past Kairi and basically falling onto the bed, my mind didn't give me any solace.

"You don't have to tell me."

The thoughts raced through, leaving no mercy in their wake. I clutched onto the sheets tightly, as if it was supposed to give me some sort of comfort, and attempted to speak. As quiet as I have been about it for these past six years, maybe now wouldn't be a bad time to start talking. I couldn't keep everything bottled up forever… right?

"She died saving someone else."

Kairi sat on the bed. Our knees were slightly touching as she positioned her body toward me. I was too preoccupied to do anything about it.

"Namine was always looking out for other people. If she saw a homeless person on the street, she would go to the nearest store and get them a few things to eat. She truly believed that everyone had some good in them."

Kairi's eyes hit the floor.

"She wasn't perfect and she knew that. But to me, she was. To me, she was the light of my life. She just made everyone happy."

Maybe I was only saying the good things, but who wanted to remember the bad? In all actuality, Namine and I had a lot of challenges. We weren't the perfect couple that everyone dreamed of, but right now, for my own sake, I just wanted to think that we were. We made it through a lot of trials, and to me, it was successful.

"On the day she died, six years ago today, it was no different. There was an old lady trying to cross the street in her neighborhood. Her _neighborhood_. The road is what? Fifteen to twenty feet wide?" My voice trembled as I relived it, but was slightly surprised when I felt Kairi's hand on mine. Briefly snapping out of my reverie, I stared at it for a moment.

"Were you with her?" Kairi asked. I sniffled and looked away.

"No, I wasn't… not until I got that call." Her hand tightened around mine, somehow giving me the strength to keep talking. "The lady was in the middle of the street. Namine was outside watering her mother's azaleas. I guess she saw a car speeding down the road, so she went and pushed the old lady out of the way, but the car hit her instead… and crushed her ribs in the process. The car ended up crashing into a tree. Mrs. O'Hara witnessed it all. Later, they found out the driver had fallen asleep at the wheel and his foot remained on the gas pedal somehow. The driver only came out with minor injuries."

"I'm so sorry, Ven."

Tears were emerging once more. I really needed to stop crying all the time…

"Even then… all Namine worried about was the condition of the old lady, and the driver."

"That's really sad but really astounding at the same time."

I nodded. It was getting harder and harder to continue. I had never told anyone this much, not even my own brother.

"Mrs. O'Hara called me on the way to the hospital. She tried to take Namine herself, since the hospital was a mere five minutes away. Yeah, she still should have called an ambulance, and I may have said some harsh words to her for not doing so, but…"

Tormented by the images in my head, it was too tough. I covered my face with one hand as Kairi held onto the other. I didn't expect her to be so supportive, but I was too bent up to even think much of it.

It was a nice change to have someone to talk to, at least…

I remembered it as if it were yesterday. Getting that tragic call… rushing to the hospital… it was all coming back to me in one moment and forcing me to dive even deeper into the darkness.

_'N-Namine…' _

I recalled being at the hospital, but I didn't know what I was doing before I got that call. When I arrived, she was having emergency surgery. Her bones were crushed and she had gone into cardiac arrest. Waiting for her to come out felt like days upon days of never-ending agony. Some heated words were exchanged with a few of the hospital patrons and staff. I had never felt so lost in my life. I just wanted Namine to be okay. I just wanted her to come out of that room alive…

I remembered seeing her in that bed, covered in bandages as she forced herself to smile back at me.

_'Ven Ven, I… I don't have much time.'_

I probably yelled at her too for putting herself in such danger, but now it was all just a faint memory. Bits and pieces wove together in my head as I struggled to cope with the images that I had so desperately tried to erase.

_'I love you. I love you so much, Namine. Why did you have to do that?! You had your entire life ahead of you… WE had our entire life… Nami, please don't let go… just hold onto my hand…'_

And she did, for a little bit. At the same time, I squeezed onto Kairi's hand harder than I realized. Kairi adapted to my grip and held on.

"She told me… she told me not to worry… how could she say that?!" I yelled, throwing Kairi off guard as I tore my hand away and rose from the bed. I physically and mentally was breaking down. I had held everything in for so long. I had tried to be strong. I had tried to move on, but in reality, I was just as weak as I had been that day.

I was pitiful.

I wanted it all to stop. I wanted to forget I ever knew her. Maybe then… maybe then…

"Ven, if you keep holding onto a memory, you can never heal," Kairi's soft voice was heard. She looped around in front of me. "I may not know much about losing someone to death, but I know about pain. I know how it feels to be lonely. I know how it feels to get up every day and convince yourself that you have to make it to the next." She moved toward me, but I took a step back. Kairi stopped.

I didn't want to get close to anyone. The risk of losing another person that I cared for…

I don't think I would be able to make it.

"I… I have to get ready for work," I said as I tried to walk past her, but she blocked me from going anywhere. Before I could react, she wrapped her arms around me once again. Tingles shot though my body as I tried to block the tears.

"Kairi… please…"

_Please let go.  
_  
She shook her head against my chest, as if she could hear me. "You need a hug."

I stood, at a loss on how to react to this. Yeah, she had hugged me before, but it wasn't like this. This time, she was trying her hardest to make me smile again. Her grip tightened on the back of my shirt as she sniffled.

"I want you to be okay. I don't know how to fix your pain, but at least… at least let me do this…"

_Why?_

Why did she want to help me so much? I was nothing worth fighting for.

"Kairi…"

She stayed put.

This frightened me. Gently pulling away from her, I couldn't say anything else as I left the room.

o-o-o

My shower wasn't as quick as I meant for it to be. I was dragging and I really didn't like it. As much as I told myself to be strong, it was like my body wouldn't let me. Staring at myself in the mirror, I realized how much of a mess I really was.

It was like I had forgotten how to smile.

My eyes were droopy. I couldn't stand up straight. My stomach growled, but I didn't have an appetite.

I was numb.

"Ven, you're going to be late."

Late? Late for what?

…Oh. Work. I had a baby on the way. One that was still alive…

Opening the door, I saw Kairi standing there. Her expression was filled with concern. She flinched once or twice, placing her hand over her stomach, but she stayed focused on me. My reaction time lagged as I gazed blankly at her.

"He still…?"

Kairi nodded, removing her hand.

Void of emotion, I just stared down at her stomach.

"Ouch…" Kairi winced, nearly losing her balance.

This was my future child. I had vowed to bring him into a world of happiness, but… how could I do that when I was so torn up inside?

Was I really going to let my life be taken over by a memory?

Lowering onto my knees, I placed both hands onto her stomach. Kairi didn't move. The baby was still. Without much control, my arms folded around her petite figure as I moved closer.

Maybe I just needed a new motivation…

Kairi stroked my hair as she let me hold onto her. All of a sudden, my cheek was met with a slight pressure. Kairi moved along with it, but didn't let go of me.

"It's not too bad, is it?" Kairi asked.

No. Actually, it made me feel slightly better…

I felt another small pressure. Kairi wasn't kidding when she said he was pretty active today.

"To tell you the truth, I'm afraid to be a mother. I don't know how to care for a child. I've never had that myself…"

I looked up at her.

"I'm afraid too."

o-o-o

Somehow, I made it to work on time. I had dropped Kairi off at the Thrift Shop. We didn't say a word to each other. I was trying to block everything out, and of course, talking would only make those subjects come up again. I tried taking some deep breaths. I tried listening to music. I tried everything, but before I knew it, I was sitting in the beach parking lot for several minutes in silence before actually getting out.

Making my way over to the shack to sign in, Miss Rinoa met me outside with a huge smile. I forced myself to smile back, but anyone could tell how torn up I was.

"I have the papers for you to fill out inside. You know the drill."

"Okay."

Once all that was done, she showed me to my station for the day. There were several people in my area, all doing different things. I didn't really care what they were doing, honestly. As I climbed up the steps and sat in the chair, I opened the umbrella above me to block the sunlight. The rain had cleared, which surprised me a little.

Kairi looked really sad when I dropped her off. I didn't know that she cared about my well-being so much.

I wish this job was busier. Maybe then, I would have a distraction. Actually, I wasn't so sad about Namine anymore. I spent way more time on that than I wanted to.

Now I was wondering if I could actually be a good father.

I didn't feel like I could.

What did I have to offer? What could I possibly pass down to my child that would be of any value? Yeah, my work ethic was pretty admirable. My loyalty, my judgment, all top notch. But teaching that to a child? How? How does one steer them in the right direction?

Also, I wondered what my child would be like. What color would his hair be? Will he make a lot of friends? Would he cry all the time or be quieter like my mom said I was when I was younger?

I may have been thinking a little too far ahead. Adjusting my position, I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket. A text came in from Kairi.

_'I didn't get the job. They said they didn't need anyone right now.'_

I didn't really have time to respond. People were staring up at me, trying to figure out whether I was new or not, even though I actually wasn't. Unlike my teaching job, people didn't always recognize me here, even if I did work here every summer. I was just forgotten.

But that was okay. I didn't need constant praise.

As I stared out into the ocean in front of me, I noticed how vast it was. If I could just pick up everything and leave, where would I end up? Would I be better off in a new place, one beyond that ocean? I've wondered this for a long time.

I knew I couldn't leave, though… unless Kairi came with me.

_Kairi._

In some ways, I felt like my life had been set back substantially with her presence, and in others, I felt like I was moving forward. I didn't know what it all meant.

Of course, I didn't have much time to ponder on it, because sure enough, some yelling from below interrupted my thoughts. Not only did I have to rescue people from the depths of the ocean, but I also had to settle any quarrels that arose. Keeping the peace wasn't in the job description, but of course I had to do so. Upon reaching the ground, I walked over to the group of what looked like teenagers.

"How the hell could you come here with her? You've been cheating on me this whole time?!"

God damn it. I hated meddling in people's affairs.

"I'm sorry, Olette. I just like her more. You're always so pushy," said the blond. He looked familiar.

Wait. Olette? Hayner?

"You're a freaking jerk!"

She went to swing at him. I quickly moved in, making her stop dead in her tracks. The girl next to Hayner just walked off, and I was left in the middle. Hayner scoffed and followed after her while Olette just stared, wide-eyed at me.

"What are you doing here?" Olette shrieked, trying to hide her teary-eyed disposition. Although I was still upset at her for everything she had done to me thus far, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"I work here. I'm sorry that happened to you."

"You…?" Olette took a moment to examine my red shorts and white T-shirt, as well as the unneeded whistle around my neck along with the name tag from last year. Stubbornly, she swung around and crossed her arms.

"It's none of your business."

If only she knew the weight her words held.

"You're right, it's not. I'm just doing my job." With that, I made my way back to my station. I wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone's bullshit today.

"Wait," Olette called behind me. I stopped as I heard her coming closer. "That's it? You're just going to walk away?"

"What do you want me to do?" I asked genuinely, not sure where she was going with this.

"I just…" Olette paused as her arms fell to her sides and she looked away. "I guess I owe you an apology..."

I didn't say anything.

"Actually, to tell the truth, my dad was a teacher as well. He had an affair with a student. She was in high school, though. It was sickening. She was one year older than me, and I was in ninth grade."

I held my tongue and let her continue.

"My mother was so torn about it. I haven't seen my father in years. He's still locked up." Olette put her hands behind her back and stared off in the direction that Hayner went. It was a little strange to be talking to her like this, but I knew all too well how sadness worked, especially today.

"So, I'm sorry for butting into your life like I did. It just reminded me of that, and I couldn't stand to see it happening. I guess I let my feelings get the best of me. I know that you're both adults..." she said as her eyes lowered. "I've also stopped all contact with Riku and Sora."

"Good." Normally I would have said more, but I just wasn't in the mood. Olette took one last look at Hayner and the girl.

"I guess… I'll go now."

It must have taken a lot for her to admit her wrongdoings, especially after that incident. Olette turned to walk away. Although I accepted her apology, I couldn't bring myself to tell her. Making my way back up to my chair, I sat there and waited for something else to happen.

But of course, it was a rather uneventful day otherwise.

o-o-o

Kairi had spent the day at my parent's house. My mom and dad were working at the hotel right now, so she was a little more comfortable. Lilah had somehow convinced her to play dress up, so when I walked into the living room, I found Kairi with a small tiara on her and a few accessories.

"Uncle Venny! This is Queen Kairi! I'm the princess, and now, I'm going to make you the King!"

"Lilah, I'm really not—" I was cut off when she tugged me toward Kairi and handed me a plastic King's crown. I took it, hesitating before I put it on my head, but did so to make her happy. Kairi sent me an apologetic look as she tried to keep the tiara positioned in her crimson hair.

"King, I need you to give me an order!"

"I don't think you would take orders from me." I forced a cracked smile for her sake.

"What the hell is this?" Vanitas asked as he entered the room. "Lilah bear, you know that _I'm _the king of this household."

"Well, you weren't here, so… you can be the bishop!"

"A bishop? What the…?" Vanitas stopped himself before blurting out more bad words that she didn't need to hear. Sitting this close to Kairi was a little unnerving, especially after the moment we had earlier today. I didn't know what kind of relation she was to me anymore, other than the mother of my child of course. She was like a friend now, but I almost didn't want to admit that.

"Bishops get to ride horses!" Lilah went over to the corner of the room and pulled out her horse toy that obviously only she could fit on. She dragged it into the center. "Sit!"

"You don't tell me what to do," Vanitas said playfully as he came over.

"You can have my crown. I'll pass it down to you," I said as enthusiastically as I could and went over to him. Any other day, Vanitas would have refused, but he immediately sensed that I wasn't in the best mood and put it on. He went over and sat next to Kairi.

"Oh, does this mean Kairi is going to be my new mommy?" Lilah exclaimed. Kairi went pale. To tell the truth, she and Vanitas _did_ look better together, but we all knew how wrong that would have been. Kairi gave me a concerned look.

"Uncle Ven, Queen Kairi wants you to be king!"

"No, no I don't. You're fine where you are," Kairi waved it off with a short laugh. I leaned against the doorway and contemplated for a moment. Vanitas was trying to pick up the toys on the floor.

And yet, I kind of _wanted_ to go back over to her.

"Uncle Ven! Why won't you play with us?" Lilah asked as she bounced over to me and tugged on my arm. "Play with us! Please?"

"Lilah, leave him alone!" Vanitas demanded sharply. The room went silent.

"Y-You're so mean, daddy!" Lilah rushed out past me. Kairi got up to follow. Vanitas just fell back onto the floor and didn't bother to move. Sighing, I decided to go and check on them. I listened from the kitchen where they couldn't see me.

"My daddy is always yelling at me!"

"Honey, there are some things you don't understand right now. Today is not a good day for your uncle." Kairi paused. "I know, why don't you go and give him a big hug? I'm sure he'll like that."

"Is he sad?" Lilah asked.

"Something like that, but you can make him happy."

"I bet he'd be happy if he got a hug from you, too!"

"Heh, me? No. I can't make him smile like you do."

Seeing this softer side of Kairi really wasn't helping. She was way different from the girl that I first met.

"Okay! I'll go and give him a BIG hug!" I could hear Lilah running back toward the kitchen, so I went over to the fridge just so I could pretend like I wasn't eavesdropping. Lilah ran right past the kitchen and into the living room, but then came back when she realized I wasn't in there.

It was almost laughable.

"Uncle Ven! Where are you?" She hollered, but then she spotted me. Kairi came into the kitchen as Lilah darted over to me, her arms wide open. "Kairi told me to hug you because she was too afraid to hug you herself!" She wrapped her arms around me.

"Is that so?" I said as I knelt down and hugged her back. Kairi smiled at me, and I couldn't help but do the same. I knew she wasn't _that_ afraid to hug me, and my face heated because of it.

"I don't want you to be sad! Whatever you're sad about, you should punch it in the face! At least, that's what my daddy says! Being sad is for wussies and you're no wussy!"

"I think I'll do that," I responded, laughing. She parted from me.

Looking down at her, I realized that maybe I wasn't so alone after all.

That was it.

I hated what I had become. If I was going to do anything productive in life, I needed to stop whining. I needed to stop believing that Namine was coming back. I wasn't sad now—I was angry. Angry at myself for letting myself go. I had a life to live, and I had to accept that Namine wouldn't be a part of it anymore.

Life doesn't stop for the death of a loved one. It only ignites.

It was the first step to healing.

"Ven, are you ready to go?" Kairi asked. "We need to check on Caesar…"

She was right. Regrettably, I had left him at home today. Waving goodbye to my brother and his daughter, we went on our way. The car ride was fairly quiet.

"I'll keep looking for a job."

"Yeah, just keep trying."

"Van was so upset at his boss for not giving me one, but he promised he would let me know if anyone gets fired."

"That's good."

Upon turning onto my street, I noticed some smoke up in the air coming from where my house was. As I pulled into the driveway, I saw that my house was still intact, but the smoke continued to rise from what looked like my backyard. In panic mode, I warned Kairi to stay in the car as I rushed around to the fence.

My burn barrel that I would generally use to burn trash every now and then was ablaze, and the contents were flying out of it. I quickly grabbed the hose and turned on the water to put it out, but once I got over there, I noticed that Sora was sitting behind it and watching the flames as he held my dog close. Caesar got excited and wanted to run to me, but Sora held him back.

"Sora, what the hell? You are trespassing onto my property. Let go of my dog, right now."

"I really like this dog. I think I'll—"

I didn't let him finish as I sprayed him in the face. Caesar rushed over to me, and then over to Kairi, who was standing at the fence. Sora was furious at this point, but I didn't care. I continued to point the hose at him, making sure it was on the full blast setting.

I was _not_ putting up with anyone's shit. I already established this.

I looked over at the contents in the barrel, and realized exactly what they were. Glaring back at Sora as he stood drenched in water, I started putting out the fire. I was surprised at how calm I was being about this.

"You're burning Namine's stuff, huh?"

"Yeah, you didn't need it."

"You're right. I didn't."

I wasn't going to show weakness anymore. Sora gave me a puzzled look, but to me, he was just pitiful.

"I've been meaning to get rid of that stuff. Did you get all of it? There was some stuff in my desk drawer, too."

Bothered by my words, Sora clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. I shot him with the hose for extra measure.

"Get off of my property, now."

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** Hugs everywhere. Yay. Phew! What a long chapter! I hope you enjoyed this one. I would say we have about 12 to 15 chapters to go at this point. Please leave a **review**!


	17. Seventeen

**A/N:** So… I've had a mixture of emotions over the past few days. One minute I'll be fine, the next I'll be crying my eyes out for no reason whatsoever. I couldn't find the energy or will to write anything no matter how hard I tried. I just felt depressed, if that's even the right word. Of course, my friends helped me feel better. Thanks.

My trip to Vegas was okay. I made some expensive decisions that I'm recovering from… Haha.

But on the bright side, I'll be moving in with my boyfriend at the end of this month—just one month short of our one year anniversary!

o-o-o

**Seventeen**

o-o-o

It had been a very long day.

I didn't even want to talk anything out with Sora. He needed to leave, and he needed to do it now, because I was ready to take out my gun that I kept in my nightstand at this point. Kairi watched with Caesar from the fence in anticipation.

"You're a pretty smart guy, right?" Sora asked as he wiped the water from his face. He was a little tense from being sprayed in the face, but I really didn't care.

"I have a master's, so there's that."

Ignoring my sarcastic remark, Sora smirked.

"Remember what happened during Radiant Garden's civil war?" Now he was being calmer than I expected, so I stayed on guard. "Although the Guardians were completely shorthanded in every way, they were still able to overpower the king and rise to power. Why was that?"

"You're giving me a history lesson?" I raised my eyebrow.

"It was because they cut off all his resources. They killed everyone around him."

"What are you trying to say? Are you threatening my family?" I readied the hose once again. Sora merely laughed at my assumption.

"Take it as a warning. Kairi comes with me, or this only gets worse."

"Kairi doesn't want to be with you, Sora. Just cut your losses and move on with your life. You know, the one that you were trying to make better? Why waste your energy on people like us? Kairi isn't your property or anything."

"I can't be without her!" Sora yelled, throwing us both off guard. "Kairi! I love you!"

Oh, _sweet Jesus_.

"You're freaking crazy!" Kairi took Caesar to the front yard. Sora was about to go after them, but I stepped in front of him. Disgusted, he just spat at my feet.

"You've crossed the wrong guy. You both will pay for this!" He shouted and then went the opposite direction toward the fence. It took him a moment to jump over it, stumbling on the way down. Come on, now. It wasn't _that_ high of a fence.

He took a moment to compose himself before running off.

This guy was pathetic…

After rolling the hose up, I went around front and found Kairi and Caesar sitting on the front step. She looked up at me, as if she were asking if he was really gone. I nodded and that was enough confirmation.

"I'm so sorry about him. I'm sorry that you're in this mess. This is all my fault…" Kairi's eyes lowered to the ground as her hand left Caesar's head. I sighed.

"Kairi, let's go inside."

"I can't. I don't want to see what he did to the house…"

Caesar ran off the porch, leaving an empty space next to Kairi. Too tired to argue, I decided to take a seat next to her. I was pretty sure that Sora wouldn't bother us again, at least not today. We sat in silence as we watched Caesar sniff around the yard.

"Whatever he does are his choices and his choices alone. I'm not blaming you for this."

"But he burned her stuff. I'm sure that stuff was very important to you."

"Yeah, it was, but holding onto it was only causing more torture, so I think he did me a favor this time. I'll probably get rid of anything else of hers that he missed. I don't need it anymore."

"Are you sure?" Kairi's anxious eyes met mine. I tried to shrug it off with a weak smile. After a few moments of gathering my thoughts, I spoke again.

"I don't think I've given you enough credit, Kairi."

"What do you mean?"

I felt the heat rise in me. "You're actually… not bad. I guess I don't mind having you around. I'd also like to thank you for being there for me today. I needed it more than I thought."

She was quiet as she processed my compliment.

"Well, thank you. You're not bad, either." She looked to the ground. "If anything, you're helping me…. A lot."

"It's my child too, right?"

"Yeah." My face reddened at her smile.

I was starting to wonder if my feelings for her went beyond a mutual roommate agreement. As we went inside, I ushered Caesar in and locked the door. Things were exactly where I left them and it wasn't messy at all, surprisingly. Even when I checked the basement, it was like the box of Namine's stuff was the only thing taken out of there. I think I was more worried about how Sora got into the house… that is, until I heard a scream coming from upstairs.

I bolted toward Kairi's room.

"What? What's wrong?!" I asked upon arrival. Kairi was backing away from her bed. I stopped her before she ran right into me and then saw what she saw. It was a letter. She had already opened it.

"I-I can't believe him… he…" Kairi dug her head into my chest as she cried. I stayed there for a moment, but I really wanted to check it out.

"What is it, Kairi?" I whispered.

"He got my dad in on this…"

_Ah,_ her despicable father. Separating from her, I inched toward the bed and picked the letter up. There were actually two sheets of paper. One had different handwriting from the other, so I assumed it was from Sora.

_'Hey, babe. Your father was worried, so guess what? He asked me to deliver this to you and make sure you get it. We __really__ need to talk. I love you.'_

It didn't sound sweet at all. It was just creepy. I let his note fall to the floor as I started to read the other.

"Wait," Kairi interrupted as she came up to me. "Please don't read it…"

"Why not? Did he threaten you? I need to know."

"I… I don't know…" Kairi said as she sat on the edge of her bed. Holding the letter in my hand, I decided to respect her wishes and folded it as I sat next to her. Kairi became fidgety and began biting on her nails. I recalled what Sora said about her father at the park and shuddered.

Maybe now was a better time than any to ask, although I really didn't know how to bring it up. Straightening my posture, I took a moment before turning to her.

"I need to ask you something. You don't have to answer me, because it's a very personal matter, but something that Sora said before really disturbed me."

She looked up at me in confusion, so I assumed that I could continue. Although it was initially none of my business, I now felt like it was my responsibility to know. At the same time, if she didn't want to tell me, it would be okay too. Did that make any sense?

"Sora told me that your father… used to do things… to you."

Kairi didn't say a word as she turned her head to the side in shame. I think that said everything. My entire body stiffened. I was absolutely repulsed at something like this. She didn't deserve-

"He hasn't done anything to me in a long time. Says I'm… too old now."

"What?!" My tense reaction threw her off.

"He's sick. He needs to be locked up," she said as she hugged herself with her arms in a defensive manner.

Now I was way more interested in the letter. "Kairi, I have to read this. If you don't want to see it, just look away, but I'm going to read it." I pulled out the folded paper. She didn't protest.

_'My baby girl, why did you leave me so? And for who? That teacher?' _I cringed at his words. _'Come back home, or there will be deadly consequences. You know, Sora isn't that bad of a guy. If you're good, I'll let him come over more. Love, your papa.'_

Deadly consequences? Now I had to worry about her father too? God freaking damn it. I folded the paper back up and looked to Kairi. It was best that she didn't know what it said.

"We'll move if we have to."

"No. You love this house."

"Our safety is more important."

"…thank you."

Thinking for a moment, I figured that I would need to be near Kairi a lot more now. Several scenarios were swirling around in my head, as usual. I wanted her to be safe.

"If you don't mind, I would prefer that you slept in my room with me."

Oh shit. That just came out wrong. She gave me a confused look. Rubbing the back of my head, I was desperate to explain myself.

"I mean, you can have my bed and I'll set up the air mattress. I can't sleep unless I know you're safe."

She reluctantly agreed.

o-o-o

Midnight.

Of course, there was no way I would get to sleep any time soon. Kairi was snoring away; she must have been exhausted. I was too, but with Sora's threat compiled with Mr. Hikari's, I wasn't even sure what to do anymore.

Was I afraid? Of course I was.

What was even more baffling was… how did it get to this? How did I go from a respectable teacher to someone on a hit list in a matter of months?

Maybe I could take that letter to the police. It was definitely evidence of a threat, so wouldn't that be enough?

Then again, could the police _really_ help me? I've contacted them twice and they haven't done shit about it. Sora was still free and he was still trying to torment us. Also, I thought that Kairi's dad hated Sora?

I was so confused. I just wanted this all to stop.

In five months, our child will enter this world.

I had to figure something out.

o-o-o

Unfortunately for me, my mom didn't want a dog or Kairi in the house, so taking her over there while I went to work was out of the question. Instead, I dropped Caesar off at a doggie daycare for the rest of that week and added that expense to my list. Although it was just ten bucks a day, it would definitely add up. Inevitably, Kairi would have to come to work with me. She set up a chair near my station and blocked the sun with an umbrella.

"I'll be right up here. If you need anything, just holler," I told her. She peered at me through her sunglasses.

"I'll be fine."

I wasn't sure how she felt about eight hours at the beach, but at least it would only be three times a week. Kairi pulled out a book and started to read as I got up in my chair.

I didn't know that she liked to read. I guess I really should take more time to get to know her.

"What are you reading?" I asked from above, keeping my eyes on the general area. There was a couple splashing each other in the water, and another family off to the far left of me. I was sure that once two o'clock rolled around the beach would be livelier.

"I'm reading a fantasy romance novel. You probably wouldn't be interested."

"I'd rather see your nose in a book than in your phone, so kudos to that."

"I left my phone at home. Sora keeps harassing me."

Not wanting to talk about this in public, I decided to change the subject. "Are you sure you don't mind coming with me to work? I can probably take you to Vanitas' work every now and then. It can get pretty boring here."

"The ocean is never boring. I like it. Besides, I can take a nap if I want."

"Alright," I said and adjusted in my chair. We had a few more conversations throughout the day, that is, until the peak hours surfaced. There were about fifteen people in my section, mostly teenagers, and I could no longer carry on a conversation. Kairi didn't seem to mind, though. She simply covered her face with her arm and dozed off.

I had to wake her up when my shift was over. The sun was setting over the ocean and it made for a beautiful sky. It always made my shifts feel worthwhile after a long day.

"I'm sorry, can we just stay here until the sun sets?"

"I was actually going to ask you the same thing," I said, chuckling. Taking a seat onto the sand next to her chair, we sat contently.

"How long was I asleep?" Kairi asked, followed by a yawn.

"For several hours. I was a little envious. I'll probably crash as soon as we get home."

"Hey, Ven?"

My eyes didn't leave the colored sky. "Yeah?"

"Do you want to go look for some baby stuff later today?" Kairi asked quietly.

I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea to start looking, even though it made me a little nervous.

I wouldn't even know where to start.

o-o-o

My little brother.

A single dad that gets by on next to nothing, he was the only one I could turn to right now for assistance. Thankfully, he was available for our sporadic decision to go shopping, but we would have to bring my niece along as well. I didn't mind so much, but I knew Vanitas wouldn't be too pleased if she were to act up. We all met at the store around six that night.

"Are there lots of toys in this store?" Lilah asked as she trudged eagerly in front of us.

"Yes, but you're not getting any unless you're good," Vanitas responded before turning back to us. We all kept our eye on her as we entered the store.

"So… what all do we actually need?" I asked. You would have thought that I would have researched a little more about this sometime within the last five months, but I was clueless when it came to this stuff. Kairi didn't seem to have an idea either, which was why bringing Vanitas along was pretty convenient. My parents probably could have helped, but… I digress.

In fact, my dad hasn't even met her yet.

"You're going to need a crib, some blankets, toys, yada yada," Vanitas said as he led us over to the infant section. He seemed to be trying to recall his own experiences with his daughter, but he didn't really know either.

Well, great.

"We could get some bottles," Kairi suggested. "Maybe stock up on diapers too. If we buy some every week we should be good, right? Isn't there just one size for newborns?"

"I think so," I replied, scanning the aisle for either of those items.

I was lost.

Fortunately for me, I wasn't one to just stand around without answers. I was not afraid to ask for help when I needed it. I would rather have some sort of guidance than just blindly buy a bunch of things that we would never use anyway.

"Yeah, get some bottles. I think the infant size would be fine," Vanitas said.

"Daddy, when can we go to the toy section?" Lilah asked but was ignored. I was too busy reading everything to pay attention to her, but I tried to keep my eye on her at least.

"Here are some bottles. I guess they don't drip when you turn them over?" Kairi asked, examining different colored ones. "Ven, which color?"

I looked from green, to blue to purple. "Green."

She smiled. "I was going to pick that one too."

"I have some blankets that Lilah doesn't use anymore. Don't worry about those. They're pink, but who cares?"

"Thank you," I said as we went to the next aisle. I didn't really care about gender stereotypes. Surprisingly, Lilah was following us without being too crazy.

"Are you planning to breast feed or use formula?" Vanitas asked.

"I don't know, would it hurt?"

"You ask like I would know," Vanitas chuckled as he pat her head. "Get some later on just in case. Oh, you'll definitely need baby wipes and rags. I also suggest getting a bath… thing."

"Bath thing?" I repeated, not really sure what he was talking about.

"Yeah, so you can give him baths?"

"Well, duh. Where is that?"

All of this was making my head spin. Couldn't we just make a list and give it to the nearest customer service associate?

"Ven, what do you think of getting a swing for the baby? This one has a lot of things that he can grab." Kairi pointed down to a Fisher Price toy on the bottom shelf. There was a seat in the middle, along with a bunch of zoo animals around it that probably made a lot of noise.

"It's not bad. It would probably entertain him," Vanitas answered for me. "But look at that price. A hundred-fifteen?"

"Oh, yeah…" Kairi backed away.

"Baby shit is expensive."

"I can see that."

A moment later, we found ourselves in the baby food aisle. I wasn't sure exactly how we got here.

"What did you give Lilah?"

"I don't know, some apple sauce stuff."

"It all looks like apple sauce."

"Mom usually bought that."

"Is there an apple flavor?" I asked as I tried to read the labels.

"Probably."

It wasn't like we needed any of this right now, but it was good to know where to look for it. Just as I was about to pick one up, Kairi interrupted us.

"Hey, guys? Where is Lilah?"

Uh oh…

"Oh, shit," Vanitas realized that she wasn't anywhere near us and rushed to look for her. Panic overtook me, especially when I remembered Sora's threat earlier…

I mean, we were basically in a gigantic toy store; that little girl could be anywhere.

You could say that I was a little paranoid.

Separating from Kairi, we all split up. I ended up in the toddler's section and hurried past each aisle. I had never experienced such fear before…

Damn it… where is she?!

An associate pproached me, but I was too preoccupied to hear what they were saying. Losing Lilah would be like losing my own child all over again, and I was scared to death. As I passed each aisle and came up empty handed, I frantically called Vanitas and Kairi to see if they had found her.

…nope.

Racing back to where the girl's toys were, I ran into my brother.

"She's nowhere! She's gone! Where the hell is she?!" He panicked as he continued to desperately search. I decided to stick with him now. "Lilah! Lilah, where are you?" He yelled as loudly as he could.

"Sir, are you missing a child?" An associate was finally able to get a hold of us.

"Yes, my daughter! She's ye tall," he made the gesture with his hand. "She's four years old going on five, her name is Lilah Ishida…"

He couldn't even think straight.

"Do you have an intercom system that maybe you could call her on, or at least let the other employees know so whoever is closest can bring her to us?"

"Yes. We will find her. Don't worry."

The associate did that right away. Thank goodness.

"I can't just sit around. I'm going to keep looking," Vanitas said, shooting up and rushing off in the opposite direction. I stayed with the associate while she made her announcement, tapping my fingers on the table.

This was nerve-wracking…

It felt like at least an hour, but I knew it was only a few minutes before the associate's phone rang at her desk. I listened intently to the conversation, letting out a huge sigh of relief as soon as I heard those words.

"Sir, she was found over in the snack section. My coworker is bringing her straight over."

"Oh, thank you. Thanks so much!" I exclaimed and got out my phone to call my brother. As I was doing that, I saw Lilah coming towards me with the employee. She held onto her hand. Hurrying over to them, I fell to my knees and opened my arms widely.

"Lilah!" I hugged her tightly.

"Uncle Ven, am I in trouble?"

"I don't know, but I'm just glad you're safe…" I held onto her a little longer before standing.

I loved this little girl.

As soon as Vanitas caught sight of her, he bolted over to us, wrapping her tightly in his arms. It didn't last long, because right after, he immediately started scolding her.

"Why did you run off like that?! What the hell is wrong with you?! I thought I taught you better than that!"

"…I wanted some cookies…" Lilah pouted, tears forming in her beady eyes.

"You are grounded. No, you are beyond grounded… I should whoop you!"

"Van, it's okay. Calm down…"

"Don't tell me how to handle my child!" He snapped, taking Lilah by the arm and forcefully dragging her toward the entrance as she cried, not even caring about how much of a scene he was making. He took her outside and scolded her some more. I just stood at the doorway in pity.

After thanking the employee once more, now I had to figure out where Kairi was. She hadn't called me at all.

Oh, wait. She left her phone at home.

Well, great. Now I had to go and find her too. I couldn't bring myself to ask the associate to make another call, so I just went around and searched again. This was way more than I wanted to do today, and honestly, I was just ready to go home. As I circled around the store, she too was nowhere to be found…

All of a sudden, a call on my cell phone alerted me. It was from an unknown number.

"Hello?"

Loud panting was heard, and then a squeaky, familiar voice appeared.

"V-Ven…"

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N: **You all have **Princess-Xion **to thank for getting a chapter tonight. I was so freaking tired today and writer's block wasn't helping but she helped me a lot! I hope this chapter didn't feel rushed, because it wasn't intended to feel that way. I rewrote this chapter so many times.

Today was a long day for me. I work at a dog boarding facility than can hold up to 100 dogs, and right now we have about half that, so…

We had these two dogs boarding that we let out into a play area, but when we went to get them they were aggressive and one nearly charged at me. They were an Akita mix and a Pitt mix, so imagine how scary that was! We had to call animal control just to get them back into their kennel!

But the funny thing was their names. Laila and Delilah. Not kidding.

Also,

**I'm going to do something new. I will let you guys name their child! (No it's not Roxas) So give me some cute boy names!**

And please leave a lovely **review**.

That's all!


	18. Eighteen

**A/N:** That moment when your boyfriend pieces together everything in the story for you and even gives you a conclusion. I am mind blown, and no longer in writer's block.

You ready for the rest of the story?

o-o-o

**Eighteen.**

o-o-o

Kairi's frantic voice sent chills down my spine. I separate from her for ten minutes… and _this_ happens? Whatever _this_ is…

"Kairi, where are you?!"

"I'm at a pay phone over at the gas station down the street. It was Riku… he tried to grab me but I ran… and it really hurts to run…"

"Are you serious? Is there anyone around you? A worker? People?"

"There's some people getting gas. I can go inside."

"Good. Get inside and stay near the person at the register. I'll be right over."

Hanging up the phone, I darted out the door without a second thought. Vanitas was still scolding Lilah when I got out there, but as soon as he saw me, he stopped and gave me a confused look.

"Van, you need to get Lilah out of here right now. Take her somewhere safe," I called as I ran past them, not giving them any sort of explanation. The gas station was in sight. I pushed myself even harder, running as fast as I could.

Kudos to Kairi for getting out of that situation…

As I was about to cross the street, a red pickup truck came speeding down the road, aiming directly at me. I jumped back onto the curb and took a moment to catch my breath. I caught a glimpse of some brown, spiky hair just as I did that.

Riku and Sora were working together?

Once I made it safely to the gas station, I found Kairi inside near the register just as I had instructed. The person behind the counter was helping another customer and didn't seem to know that anything was wrong. Kairi came rushing toward me. I noticed red marks on her wrists right away, and it sent me into a mental frenzy that I desperately tried to mask. We went toward the back of the store so that no one could hear our conversation.

"What did he do to you? Are you hurt?" I asked, gently picking up her arm and examining the bruises. My fevered mind was itching to display its true nature at the moment, but with a few breaths, I was able to suppress it.

"I'm fine," Kairi said and pulled away, hiding her arms shamefully behind her back.

"This has to be assault or something… if not that, then definitely stalking! Sora just tried to run me over on the way here… which, come to think of it, they must know where we are…"

The hair on the back of my neck shot up at the thought of what would happen if they found us.

"What are we going to do?" Kairi cried, nearing closer to me. I noticed the man at the register eyeing us a little. We couldn't just stall in here. Just as I was about to respond, my phone rang. It was my brother.

"Yeah?"

"Dude, what the hell is going on?"

"Don't worry. Just get Lilah out of here, and watch out for a red pickup truck."

"That's Sora's dad's truck," Kairi whispered.

"Is it that guy? I'll drop Lilah off at Delilah's sister's house and be back for you guys. Don't go anywhere!" Vanitas hung up immediately after that. I was about to call back and beg him not to come, but we were interrupted.

"Are you guys alright?" The man asked from the front, coming around to inspect us.

Should I tell him?

I guessed that we needed all the help we could get…

Taking Kairi's hand in mine, I noticed how cold it was as I walked up to the register. Gathering my strength for the sake of everyone here, I asked, "Have you seen a red pickup truck, or a guy with long, silver hair around?"

Furrowing his brows, he thought for a moment. "Actually, a guy with that description came in not long ago. I think he purchased a few lighters."

"Well, him and his friend are after us." I debated on asking him to contact police. I really didn't trust them right now, but I knew if they came then we would most likely be safe. I had to cast my stubbornness aside for Kairi—for my child. The man pressed a small red button hidden behind the counter and allowed us to enter the small computer room behind him. There, we could see all the cameras around the building. Sora's truck was spotted toward the back, and all the fear poured into me.

Where was Riku?

"So, he's just waiting for us to come out…" Kairi said, her voice trembling with each word as she protectively placed her hand over her bloated belly.

"What did Riku do to you? Did he say anything?"

Kairi shook her head. "I was looking for Lilah. I was near the girl's bathroom when suddenly, I felt someone tug onto my arm. Riku had both of my wrists, and he was trying to get me to quietly go with him. I was so lucky that he grabbed my wrists, though, because I was able to sort of… twist my way out of it and throw him off guard. I ran out of the store, actually seeing Lilah on the way out and rushed toward this gas station. I don't know why Riku would do such a thing…"

"Well, I'm just glad that you're safe."

Her smile lifted my spirits… just a little. Looking back at the screen, I saw Riku approaching Sora in the truck. They seemed to be looking back at the building, as if they knew we were in here and were planning out their next move. I bit into my lip harder than I intended to, actually wincing from the pain it inflicted.

I couldn't just stay in here. Jumping to my feet and heading for the door, I turned to Kairi just before I left. "Don't go anywhere. Lock this door."

"Where are you going? Ven, you're not seriously going to—"

"This ends today," I said, firmly shutting the door and waiting until I heard the click. The man at the register tried to stop me.

"The police are on their way. Just stay in here!" I paid him no mind as I pushed open the door and stepped out onto the gravel.

My fists balled up as I built my courage to actually go around this building and face both of them. I couldn't fathom why I was so afraid—I mean, Riku was basically an idiot and Sora didn't seem to be far behind him as far as common sense was concerned. Maybe I could outwit them, which actually sounded easier in my head than actually doing it. As I stood at the side of the building, I could hear Riku's laughter as he and Sora talked, but besides that, their voices were too low for me to hear anything that they were actually saying. Finally, I had them in my sights. Riku was leaning against the truck with his arms crossed while Sora held out his phone to him. What on earth were they doing?

With one last encouraging breath, I finally was able to come out from hiding and head in their direction. Riku spotted me immediately, letting his arms fall to his sides as I marched over to the truck. Sweat dripped down my back, and it wasn't from the hot sun overhead. My duty was to protect Kairi and my child, so that was what kept me going. Sora smirked and stepped out of the truck.

"Enough with the games. Sora, if it will make you feel better to beat me to the ground, I'm giving you that opportunity, so long as you leave us alone afterwards."

Bold words. I know. I wasn't going to let him touch me, though.

"Beat you to the ground?" Sora laughed in response. "That wouldn't give me any satisfaction. I just want my Kairi back."

"Well, she doesn't want you, so what's it going to be? I've tried to talk this out with you, but obviously talking gets us nowhere. Riku, why are you here?"

Riku stepping forward was slightly intimidating, but I stood my ground. I didn't know if I could take both of them at once, but I had to try.

"Sora's my best friend. If Kairi's that important to him, then I'm going to help him in any way possible."

"That's enough," Sora interrupted. "We've stalled for too long."

In a split second, I felt my jaw seemingly detaching from my body as Sora uppercut me in a swift fashion. I didn't even have time to block his next movement, a quick jolt to my left side, causing me to fall onto the ground gasping for air. Sora overshadowed me just before forcing me onto my back and sitting on top of me. He struck me right in the face.

"Never mind. This is pretty satisfying," Sora said as he went to punch me again, but in that moment, I took the opportunity to grab his fist and swung it out of the way with all my might before lifting myself up to head butt him. (It was all I could think of!) Thrown off guard, Sora stumbled backward at the impact and I didn't hesitate to take control of the situation. Riku was coming at me, but I focused on Sora. Rage built up in me as I pulled him from the ground and slammed him against the red truck, pressing my arm against his neck so that he choked. I knew Riku would jump in eventually, so I kept looking back and forth. Blood trailed from my wounded lip as I only pressed harder. Riku jumped into the back of the truck and acted as if he was searching for something.

Sora struggled to free himself from my grasp as he let out a few choppy coughs, tightly squeezing into my wrists and digging his nails desperately into my skin, but I wasn't letting him win. Riku seemed to find what he was looking for and was coming back toward me. I finally let go of Sora and threw him onto the ground. He gasped for air and rolled around as he tried to get up, but now my focus was more on Riku. However, just before I could do anything, the sound of a gunshot was heard and my brother's angry voice pierced through.

"Step away from my brother before I fucking kill you!" Vanitas charged over to Riku, who immediately dropped his gum and threw his hands up in surrender. Vanitas had the gun pointed right at his head.

These guys were not a threat to us. They were all bark.

Sora continued to try and catch his breath, using the truck for support as he rose to his feet. He too had blood dripping down his face. He gave me a terrified look as he desperately tried to get back into the truck, but I blocked him from doing so.

"Sora, I am _not_ going to tell you again. You leave us alone. I will give you one last chance to walk away from this."

"Fuck… off…" Sora got out as he tried to swing at me, but I was able to grab his arm and twist it until I heard a snap. I was freaking done. He cried out in pain as he clasped his arm with his other hand, falling against the truck.

I almost felt bad for the kid.

Finally, police sirens were heard. I wasn't going to let Sora get away this time. After a moment of probably checking in the building, the policemen found us back here. Vanitas quickly put his gun away, still keeping his eye on Riku as the police raised theirs at us. Surprisingly, Riku and Sora both surrendered. Relief filled me, and suddenly everything felt so worthwhile.

o-o-o

Seeing Sora and Riku in handcuffs definitely was the icing on top of the cake. Kairi, Vanitas and I watched as they were forced into separate cars, neither of them daring to look back as the police drove off. I did a little victory dance in my head, thinking that it was finally over, at least for now.

I could rest assured knowing that they were behind bars.

"Ven, you were so brave!" Kairi exclaimed, wrapping her arms around me. I hugged her back, holding on for a moment as everything settled.

"Well, aren't you two cute," Vanitas teased. "I'm just surprised officer Raymond didn't search me."

"You know him?" I said, not separating from Kairi. This hug felt nice.

"We chill sometimes."

Finally letting go of her, we both just chuckled in response.

"I'm starving!" Kairi said. "Guys, can we please eat something?"

"We can do whatever you want," I responded, my smile not ceasing to exist. My lip may have had a bump or two, and it may have still hurt, but I was too happy now. Leaving my car in the store parking lot, we all loaded into Vanitas' car and went on our way.

"It's been such a long day," Kairi said from the backseat. The moon shone brightly above us.

"Thanks for coming back, even though I didn't want you to," I said to my brother.

"Dude, I've got your back. Kairi's too."

"Thanks," we both said in unison. I glanced back at her for a moment after doing so.

You know, she's actually very pretty.

Ever since Namine died, I hadn't even had a chance to think of another woman. Right now, I just felt like a teenager once again, wrapping myself in feelings that I couldn't quite understand, but I knew that they were there regardless. Fighting them would be pointless. At this point, I was just willing to let it be.

I'll admit it. I cared for Kairi more than I originally thought.

We pulled into the diner parking lot. Kairi had asked for a burger, so instead of just ending the day with a crappy drive thru, I offered actually take her somewhere. I didn't even mind her sitting next to me this time, in fact, I was thinking that her distance was a little too far. Vanitas sat across from us, knowing that we had gotten closer and I fully expected him to tease me about it later.

"It all looks so good," Kairi said as she drooled over the menu.

"Get whatever you want," I told her.

"What about me? Can I have the kids meal, dad?" Vanitas joked.

"Everything's on me. Order to your heart's content, but do take into consideration how much your stomachs can handle."

Vanitas shot me a look that said, _'really?'_

"You know damn well I could eat everything on this menu in one go," Vanitas said. "Oh, Kairi! Did Ven ever tell you about the ramen eating contest he participated in at this convention he went to?"

"No," Kairi looked to me for an explanation. I laughed and cringed at the same time, recalling the memory. Once Van figured that I wasn't going to tell, he decided to fill in for me.

"Yeah, it was like him and four other people. You had to finish all the ramen in your bowl, but they would put nasty shit in there like peeps or lots and lots of hot sauce."

"Nope, I think it was cayenne pepper mixed with sugar that time," I added. Kairi's face scrunched.

"Yeah, yeah! Ven got down to the very end. He literally had like one bite left, but the person next to him gulped down the last of his before he was able to. Ven threw up all over one of the judges. It was fucking hilarious!"

Kairi busted out in laughter. Although I was a little embarrassed, I still laughed with her.

"I could have won, too. If I just held my vomit in for one more moment…"

"That is gross!" Kairi said. "What kind of convention was it?"

"Uh, an anime convention."

"Really? I didn't know you went to stuff like that."

"I have hobbies, contrary to popular belief," I countered.

"Yeah, he's a freaking nerd," Vanitas teased. "But Ven is awesome."

"You know what? I am."

Shared laughter filled the diner.

o-o-o

Stepping into my empty house had never been more fulfilling. Caesar came darting toward us, jumping onto his tiny hind legs in attempt to reach our level. I knelt down and gave him a loving pat on the head, even allowing him to lick my face. Kairi just smiled as she shut the door and locked it. She followed me and Caesar to the back door. As I let him out, I just leaned against the door and watched him through the window. I couldn't believe that I did what I did today. I hadn't gotten into a fight since my grade school days, but in a tiny, satisfying way, I felt like I had accomplished something.

"I think I need to lay down, ooh," Kairi flinched as she made her way over to the couch. After laying on her back, she took a few deep breaths, but then they became more controlled as she closed her eyes.

She was fast asleep.

After letting Caesar inside, I went to the hallway closet and pulled out a blanket that I kept in there. I retrieved a pillow from her room and carefully lifted her head, putting the pillow in place. I covered her with the blanket and took a step back, admiring her for a brief moment before retreating back to the recliner. I too was pretty exhausted from today, and I was just ready to pass out. I stole a few glances at Kairi here and there, before eventually falling into a deep slumber that I had not been able to comfortably do in years.

Maybe the fight was over.

o-o-o

It was nearing the end of July. We had been free of any sort of paranoia or torment for an entire month, and we were finally able to just focus on the baby and make preparations for him. We had found a crib on the internet for a decent price; a dark wood one that eventually could turn into a toddler's bed, so I felt like I was getting more out of it because it would last longer. I had rearranged Kairi's bed and put it up against the wall toward the back, with the crib directly across from that. Green sheets covered to the two foot mattress and it only made it sink in more that I would be a parent.

My excitement had returned, and no longer did I let my stress or worries take hold. I was finally able to look toward the future with optimism and eagerness.

Kairi made some rice omelets that morning, and man, were they good. I had never really had a chance to appreciate her cooking before, considering that I was always the one doing so. Even though they were pretty simple to make, I still scraped my plate.

Despite my uplifted mood, here and there I would still wonder if letting our guard down like this was a good idea. We never heard anything from Kairi's father, whom was apparently another threat to us. I was starting to wonder if he even wrote that letter, or that was just something Sora wrote in place of him to scare Kairi more. Yeah, the handwriting was different, but anyone else could have written it.

Therefore, I put it on the back burner.

Kairi had been looking around for jobs. I was really pleased with her effort to better herself, even this far into the pregnancy. She was mainly looking for temp jobs, obviously, but at least she was doing something. My job ended next month, and then it was back to the university for another semester. I just started planning my lessons the week before.

"None of my shirts fit anymore. I look like a whale," Kairi whined as she took my dish along with hers and placed it into the sink. I wanted to counter her statement with a compliment, because I knew that she was not anywhere near a whale's size, but I kept it to myself. Even though I had admitted to having some sort of feelings for her, I didn't want to rush. It was taking me a while to warm up to the idea, and pursuing anything only made me retreat into a corner.

I guess that you never fully heal from your past.

Despite all that, eventually I knew that I would be open to a relationship. I wasn't ready now, but someday...

"How could you say that when you have our child in there?" I said instead as I pushed my chair in.

"I know. It's just weird not being able to see my feet. Speaking of that, they still get swollen from time to time. It's getting on my nerves."

"Just a few more months," I reassured her, not really sure how much I was actually helping.

"Ven, what do you think our child will be like?" Kairi asked as she leaned against the sink.

"I'd imagine he would be an intellectual. He'd have my problem solving skills and go far in life, as well as your strong will."

"You think I'm strong-willed?" Kairi asked, seeming a bit surprised.

"Well, you're like me. You don't take people's shit."

"Damn straight," Kairi said, chuckling. "He'll also have dashing good looks."

"And be popular with the ladies?" I added. "He wouldn't get that from me."

"Why not? You're not bad."

Was she telling me that she liked the way I looked? I could feel my senses tingling, so in order to avoid an embarrassing situation, I just shrugged and headed toward my room. It was time to get ready for work, anyway.

I was ready to seize the day.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** A little breather for you guys! What did you think? Remember, we still have about ten to twelve chapters to go. Please leave a **review**. I really appreciate those. Also, I'd like to thank everyone for their name suggestions. Such cute names!

AND SORA LOOKED DAMN FINE IN HIS NEW COSTUME, AM I RIGHT?!

That is all. Kthxbai  
:D


	19. Nineteen

**A/N:** I've even started changing the page color when I write. It actually helps! O.o

o-o-o

**Nineteen.**

o-o-o

Kairi was steadily gaining weight, and she didn't like it. I almost had to force her to eat. It really messed with her mood as well, and she was back to her irritable self. We didn't really talk much for these past few days, but strangely, I was okay with that. I didn't have to watch over her, so I could finally have some time to do some of the things that I missed out on while we were _waiting_ for things to "happen" with Sora. It was nice not living in fear. I also stopped taking Caesar to doggie daycare as soon as Riku and Sora were arrested.

They were charged with aggravated assault, stalking and minor possession (I don't know of what, though), and their bails were pretty up there. I would be surprised if they were able to make bail. I guessed they were still locked up, though.

As August arrived, my lifeguard job was in its last few weeks. I was surprised how quickly this summer was going by. I only had to use CPR twice, and most of my problems were tiny disputes on the land. Only once did I come close to battling a shark, but thankfully it swam in the opposite direction.

I'd totally own that shark.

It was nearing six o'clock, meaning my shift would be over pretty soon. I checked my pockets to make sure I had the essentials—my phone and keys, and started descending down the ladder. Miss Rinoa had requested that I come by her office before I left, so I closed down my station and headed over to the small shack.

"Yes? You wanted to see me?" I questioned upon entering. She sat in front of her lap top; the fan on its highest setting as it blew her hair all over the place. Yuna stood in the background, sending a wide grin my way. I was a little confused as to what was going on.

"Sit! Let's talk." Her enthusiasm never ceased.

"Uh, alright." I pulled up a chair and made myself comfortable. Miss Rinoa seemed quite excited about something, and I didn't have a clue as to what it would be.

"I notice that you don't get much over in your section, so what do you think about being put in a busier area? I'll raise your pay a few dollars, but also, I wanted to ask you something."

Although making a few extra bucks would be nice, it would only be for three weeks. Yeah, I'll take what I can get, but let's just see what else she has up her sleeve.

"Okay," I said as I straightened up.

"If you make this a full time job, I'll be sure to give you a decent paying salary. Year-round, bonuses, the whole thing."

"What kind of salary are we talking about?" I had to ask.

"54K a year?" Miss Rinoa offered.

That was about 18K more than I made as a teacher. I didn't even know that lifeguards could make that much money.

Wow. That's a big difference…

"The reason I offer so much is because I know that I can trust you. You've worked here every summer for fifteen years. You deserve it."

I should have been saying yes. Any opportunity for more money would definitely help, but at the same time…

I loved to teach…

"Uh, wow. I don't know what to say…" I said, fiddling with my fingers as my eyes averted to the floor. I didn't necessarily _need_ more money, but then again, I wasn't sure exactly how much a child would cost, either. I was pretty confident that I had the means to support him, but some extra money couldn't hurt. However, if I became a full-time lifeguard, I would be giving up my dream job.

"You'll also be instructing new lifeguards, if that fancies you at all," Rinoa added nonchalantly.

"Instructing?"

"Yeah, teaching the basics, safety procedures, etc."

"I think it's a great offer, Ven!" Yuna chimed in.

I nodded. "It's… definitely something to consider…"

"We have another candidate for the position, but I at least wanted to ask you first," Rinoa said. "If you need to sleep on it, do so, but we need an answer by Friday."

"I'm already signed up for the next semester at the university, but we'll see."

"Is it under some sort of contract?" Miss Rinoa asked.

"Nope. I don't know if they could find a replacement in such a short time, either."

Rising from my chair, I thanked her and walked out. It really was a lot more money than I made now. Although I would get to teach in some form or another, I didn't think that it would be as fun as being in a classroom at the university. I loved History. I was good at it, and I looked forward to going.

Then again, after basically getting a warning from President Eraqus, as well as managing to salvage my reputation, I wasn't sure of how the new semester would go. So far, only a few people have signed up early for my classes. Generally around this time I already had a full roster. I didn't know what sort of rumors circled around the University after I left that day. Aqua certainly lost respect for me, and I could only imagine that the other teachers and staff felt the same if they found out.

Should I just quit and take the better paying job?

o-o-o

"Hell yes, you should take it!" Vanitas exclaimed from the other side of the kitchen. "Why is that even a question?"

"Vanitas, tone it down," my father warned. Turning to me, he gave me a stern look. "You should stick with what you enjoy, as long as you're able to keep up on bills."

"Thanks, dad. That's what I'm thinking, too. At the same time, some extra money wouldn't hurt. I could probably do a lot more with my son that way."

"If she's offering, that means she would rather you than someone else."

"True," I said, followed by a sigh.

"Dude! Just take it! History doesn't change. Why would you want to keep teaching something that is redundant?" Vanitas intervened.

"Because I like it," I answered simply, a little thrown off by my brother's use of a big word. Vanitas' face scrunched in response.

"Son, we can't make the decisions for you."

"Uncle Ven, I want to learn how to swim! Can you teach me?" Lilah asked sweetly as she looked up at me with her big blue eyes.

"Gladly."

Kairi stood in the background, quieter than usual. It may just have been because this was actually her first time meeting my father, but I couldn't help but think that there was something else going on. Yeah, she was upset that she was gaining weight or whatever, but that couldn't be all, right?

I had come over here to get some tools from my dad, but of course I also wanted a few opinions.

I was really torn about this.

"Yo, Kairi, come help me," Vanitas said. Kairi hesitated before going over to the sink. My dad and I took our conversation out onto the back porch. Lilah followed eagerly behind.

"Nah, uh, get your shoes on, girl," my father commanded before letting Lilah step through the door. She pouted and fell flat onto the floor next to the shoe rack.

"I don't want to tie my shoes."

"Do you want to fall down and hurt yourself?" I asked. Lilah shook her head, but still continued to stare at her feet.

"Can you tie them for me?"

Generally I would make Lilah tie her own shoes, but I decided to be nice just this once. After I was done, she popped up and ran past me. I shut the door and stepped out onto the porch. My dad and I kept our eyes on her as she ran around the backyard.

She could probably entertain herself for hours if she wanted.

"So, this Kairi girl, why am I just meeting her now?"

"It's been… a busy summer," I half-lied, trying to think of something. "And you haven't been home when I've brought her over before."

"Your mother isn't too fond of her. She thinks she's using you."

"Kairi's not like that. She may get an attitude sometimes, but I don't think that she would do that. What would she use me for?"

"It's just your mother's suspicion. Personally, I think she's charming."

"Well, thanks."

"That's not to say that you still shouldn't be cautious. How old is she?"

My dad meant well; I knew that. "She's… twenty-one."

"Pretty young, don't you think?"

I couldn't really explain the situation to my dad, so I just shrugged. He didn't really care much, anyway. My dad was like me. He didn't like to pry into people's business or know too many details.

"So, when is this baby due?"

"November 15th is the estimated date," I informed him. Lilah ran past us and toward the back door.

"Only about three and a half months to go, huh? Are you ready?"

"Can you really be ready for something like this?" I asked, my nervousness apparent in my voice. My dad shook his head.

"No, you can't. Parenthood is a tricky thing. You just have to take it a day at a time. I'll admit, your brother has really been quite impressive lately."

"I'm glad that you think so. I feel the same way. Van does what he has to do."

"He's not partying anymore, he almost always tucks her in at night unless he's working late, and his anger seems more controlled."

"Really?"

"Kids will put your patience to the ultimate test. You could be the calmest person in the world, and they will still find some way to get on your every last nerve."

"I don't doubt that," I said with a chuckle. "I'm looking forward to it. I want to teach my son everything. I want to take him on family trips like we used to do. I want to steer him in the right direction, you know?"

I was getting a little excited talking about this. Hah.

"I think you'll do a splendid job, Ventus."

"Thanks. I'll definitely try my best." Checking the time on my phone, I figured that we had stayed here long enough. I was ready to get back home, anyway.

Getting into my car with Kairi, we headed home.

"So… what do _you_ think I should—"

"I don't care."

Sigh.

Instead of arguing, I decided to just drop the subject. My dad was right—ultimately, it was up to me. The rest of the drive home was pretty quiet. Pulling into my driveway, Kairi didn't even wait for me to turn the car off before getting out. She slammed the front door.

Okay, seriously, what was going on?

After making sure my car doors were locked, I headed up to the front step. In my peripheral vision, I noticed something to the left of the door, hanging off of the gutter. It was a tiny, black stick-looking thing. Taking it down, I realized that this was not a stick of any sort.

It was one of those miniature cameras.

What the hell?!

I could only assume that there were more of these. Panicked, I checked the other side and found nothing before hurrying into the house. Sora must have planted these!

Obviously he couldn't watch from jail, but Kairi _did_ say he had his ways…

Shit…

Shoving the camera into a desk drawer, I turned on all the lights and searched the living room for any plausible place these things would be. In the corners, on the tables, atop the TV… I scoured every inch, but didn't find anything in here, so I moved to the kitchen.

There, on top of the black stove, another device was planted.

I immediately removed it and threw it in the drawer with the other one. I found another in the kitchen on the opposite side, strapped onto the top of the door to the backyard. Kairi came into the kitchen, still in her irritable mood, but she was curious as to what I was doing.

"We're being watched," I warned, showing her the small camera. "See this?"

Kairi gasped at the sight of it, a little more dramatically than I anticipated and rushed off to her room. I ended my search in the kitchen and moved throughout the rest of the house, including upstairs and in the basement. I found about five more in those rooms alone.

I couldn't believe this. How long have these been here?!

These couldn't be easy cameras to get, either. I thought only the CIA would use something that advanced…

"I found one in my room!" Kairi informed as I closed the basement door. Her bitch attitude had resided and was now focused on these cameras. I was perfectly okay with that, because I wasn't going to stop until I felt like they were all gone.

I helped her look in her room a little more, but couldn't find any others. There could not have just been _one_ camera in her room.

I couldn't even imagine how many were in mine.

Why did the majority of my furniture have to be black? I was really tired and my eyes were giving out on me. However, I did find one on my dresser directly across from my bed. My hand shook as I pulled it down.

This was maddening…

How long had these been here? What sort of things had they seen, whoever put them there? Obviously, Sora couldn't watch from jail, but before then…

I couldn't even fathom it. It wasn't like I did anything, but Kairi and I have had some conversations in the past that I would rather have stayed between us. With this third party, whoever it was, I was just really bent up about this. This was an invasion on our privacy!

Not to mention completely insane…

I found one more on my windowsill and took it down.

She was right. Sora didn't play games. Maybe I was underestimating him this whole time…

Kairi knocked lightly on my bedroom door.

"Yeah? Come in," I said weakly as I stared out my window. I needed to hide my fear for her sake, but I couldn't deny how shaken up I was about this. I didn't want to face her.

"Did you find them all?"

"I hope so."

"That's just sick of him to do…" Kairi said. I heard her plop onto the edge of my bed. "I can't believe him…"

"Me neither… who knows how long these have been here…"

Silence enveloped the room for a few moments.

"I'm sorry about earlier. My dad has been bothering me since I turned my phone back on."

This urged me to turn around. "Bothering you, how? Through texts? Calls?"

"He's tried to call, but then he started texting."

"You kept them, right?" I asked eagerly as I walked over to her. "Could I see?"

"I… deleted them," Kairi said, holding her phone close as she turned her head to the side.

"Oh, I see." I sat on the bed next to her.

"But he said he was going to haunt me down and hurt me if I didn't come home. He said he would start… doing things to me again…"

I recalled the disturbing reason why he apparently stopped doing that to her, but I didn't mention it. She was already pretty upset. I didn't want to make it worse.

I was a little thrown off by the tears, though.

"I hate my life, Ven. I hate everything about it. I'm pregnant, I have no friends," she cried as she leaned onto my shoulder, "and I can't even land a job because of this belly. I want to be able to help you… you're the only one that seems to give two shits about me…"

Placing my arm around her for comfort, I rested my head on hers and tried to think of a way to fix this.

"If my dad finds me, he'll probably try to kill me. He has before. He's beaten me to a bloody pulp…"

My hand tightened around her shoulder upon hearing that. I couldn't let that happen…

"He won't come near you. I promise."

I knew I was making promises that I didn't know how to go through with, but I would definitely do my best to keep them.

"Just look at me! I'm pathetic!" Kairi yelled as she rose from the bed. "The only reason I'm still on this planet is because of this child! What good am I?!"

Wow, her outbursts were _really_ sudden. I guessed that she had kept this bottled up all day, hence the reason she was so upset.

Regardless, my heart pounded substantially because of it. I wanted to make her pain disappear…

But I didn't know how.

I watched as she crumbled before me. I could have hugged her—done _anything_ but just sit here, but I was paralyzed for my own selfish reasons. When I was upset, she did everything she could to make me feel better, but now that I was faced with the same problem, I couldn't even go near her…

As much as I cared for her, I was too afraid to take that next step…

Plus, I was still wondering if we were being watched.

"Ven, what do I have to look forward to?" She sobbed, covering herself with her arms as she backed away. "After this baby is born, I've highly considered ending it. Who the hell wants someone like me?!"

_I do…_

There was no sense in denying it at this point.

Well, I made it off the bed, but my feet were planted on the floor. Kairi continued to cry her eyes out.

"Kairi, you're none of those things," I choked out, hoping that I could say something rather than do something that I would probably end up regretting…

I knew what I _wanted_ to do, but I didn't know if that would make the situation any better…

She looked at me with desperate, teary eyes as she stopped midway between the bed and the door.

"What do you care? The only reason you keep me around is because of this child," she hissed as she wiped her tears.

"That may have been true at first, but now…"

It was like something had cut off my voice box. I was unable to explain myself, and it was only making things worse.

I didn't like seeing her cry.

"K-Kairi, please don't think that. Pregnant or not, I would not have kept you around this long if I didn't have…"

I stopped mid-sentence once again and mentally kicked myself for it. I felt like I had told her this before, and reiterating it now would just have the same effect—virtually nothing.

"You were probably going to end up leaving me, anyway. Everyone does." Kairi turned and reached for the doorknob.

Maybe I should just stop talking.

In an instant, my arms wrapped around her from behind, holding on tighter than was probably comfortable for her, but regardless, I didn't want her to leave this room in tears. Her warmth was dreadful but surprisingly comforting at the same time, and although I've held her before, this time I was the one that started it so it made it all the more daunting. Kairi's hand lowered from the doorknob as she tried to comprehend my actions.

"Ven, what are you…?"

"Just hush," I whispered, gently but somewhat forcefully turning her around. Her back pressed against the door as I closed in. Lifting her chin slightly with my fingers, I went from her eyes to her lips for a moment, wondering what in the world I had just gotten myself into. The next step was obvious, but as much as my body was wanting to do so, my mind wouldn't let me.

Kairi waited in anticipation for my next move. Her glittery eyes watched me, almost begging for me to go through with something.

However, I couldn't fulfill it. With a heavy sigh, I stepped away.

"I'm sorry, Kairi. I don't know how to make you feel better," I said as I distanced myself from her. The eerie silence crept up on me and only made me feel worse.

She didn't say a word until about ten seconds later.

"Did you just… try to kiss me?"

Well, when you put it _that_ way…

"N-No. I got caught up in the moment. Please don't… think anything of it…"

I was desperately trying to cover my tracks, and it wasn't working. After another moment or two of aching silence, I heard the door open.

"I kind of… wish you would have," Kairi said in a low tone as she shut the door behind her.

...What?

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** I woke up extra early to finish this chapter for you! So please take the time to **review**. I really appreciate those that do, especially for every chapter. Now, you know I don't expect you to review every chapter, but those that put in the effort really make writing this worthwhile.

Also, Heart Station will be picked up again after I'm done with this fic. Don't worry—we're almost there!

Wish me luck today. Fridays, besides getting a paycheck, have been the most stressful for me. I'm really starting to hate Fridays.

'til next time!


	20. Twenty

**A/N: **Hey, everyone! I'm so excited for this chapter, mainly because of… well, you'll see! Read on, and please don't forget to leave a review!

Do most of you read fanfiction on your mobile? Just curious, because I've never done it. I have a flip phone. Haha!

o-o-o

**Twenty.**

o-o-o

I hardly slept that night.

Although I wasn't exactly denying my feelings for Kairi, I wasn't allowing myself to act upon those feelings. An unknown fear was holding me hostage, and I couldn't really understand why. I hoped that she could forgive me for my shortcomings, especially after she had done her best to care for me during my downtime. It was just one big misunderstanding.

I walked into the kitchen that morning, more tired than I wanted to be. Thankfully, I was off for the next two days, so I wasn't too worried about it. Miss Rinoa had sent me an e-mail about what a full-time position would entail. I would be called a _permanent _and she was offering $31 an hour. I would be overseeing a few miles of the beach, watching other lifeguards and basically acting as a supervisor. It was a really great offer, but yet I still couldn't decide. She also informed me that I would have to take a series of physical and mental placement tests beforehand, in which she was confident that I would be able to pass.

I was getting older. My muscles didn't work the way that they used to when I was a teen, but I wasn't exactly in bad shape, either. This was quite a drastic change in careers, and not one that I was expecting to take.

However, if I needed to...

After I was done stacking the dishes into the dishwasher, Kairi came into the room dressed in her purple nightgown. It was like she didn't even mind me seeing her in risqué pajamas anymore.

"Good morning," I greeted as I shut the dishwasher, trying not to look.

"Hi."

Searching for the words to say, I realized that this was more awkward than it needed to be. Yeah, maybe I _did _try to kiss her last night, but it wasn't like we had to act like kids about it.

Just then, I had an idea. Granted, it was a bit out of the blue, but I just felt like asking.

"Kairi, I have a question."

"What?" She answered as she opened the fridge.

"What do you think about a little vacation?"

Shutting the fridge, her curious eyes followed me as I walked over to the back door. After letting Caesar out, I turned back to her.

"Vacation? Where?"

"Anywhere you want to go, as long as we're back here by tomorrow night."

"Really?"

I shrugged and gave her a warm smile. "Yeah. I think I'm a little more open to the idea of being out in public with you."

It was meant to come across as a joke, but unfortunately, Kairi didn't see it that way.

"What I mean is, I just want to go somewhere. We can drop Caesar off at my parent's house. It wouldn't kill them to watch him for one night. Let's just get on a train and go."

Kairi seemed to be considering it.

"Anywhere?"

"Yeah, within reason. We don't want a place that's _too _far, or half the time will be spent trying to get there. You know what I mean? Besides, we've spent all of this time worrying about reputations and what Sora didn't ever do to us, so taking a break in a new place would be really nice. Are you able to walk much?"

"Not too much," Kairi answered, an apologetic look on her face. She had warmed up to the idea now and the awkwardness had taken a small decrease. "Actually, I heard that there was this week-long festival going on in Twilight Town."

"The Festival of Seven Wonders or whatever?"

"Yeah, I've always wanted to go. It started the other day."

"I went with my cousin about ten years ago. I do wonder what it's like now, and also, how my cousin is doing," I said, stopping for a moment to consider it.

"You said anywhere within reason. Twilight Town is only an hour away."

"Then, it's settled."

"Really?" Kairi seemed to be in disbelief and I wasn't sure why. I was serious.

"Yup! Start packing," I said cheerfully as I pulled out my phone to call my parent's house. Kairi leaped with excitement before hurrying out of the room.

That was adorable.

o-o-o

After my mom got over my spontaneous decision for a vacation with a girl she didn't quite like, she reluctantly took Caesar under her wing for the time being. Vanitas was at work already, and Lilah was spending the day with my dad.

"Make sure you visit your aunt. She says your cousin doesn't come out of his room much, so try to get him to hang out with you," my mom suggested as I headed for the front door.

"I plan on it."

"Be safe, and don't do anything stupid."

"Yes, mother. Thanks for looking after Caesar," I said, kneeling down to pet him before I left. He barked several times as I stood up again, as if he knew I wasn't coming back in a few hours. Kairi waited in the car.

"Don't let her get to you. She seems innocent now, but I just want you to be careful."

"I know. Kairi's actually a really nice person once you get to know her."

My mom didn't believe me. With that, I headed out.

I wasn't sure what her deal was. Yeah, Kairi wasn't the easiest person to get along with sometimes, but it wasn't like she was rude to my mom. She answered all her questions, truthfully or not, and didn't do or say anything outrageous for my mom to draw such conclusions. My mom was probably just judging on her age and her age alone, so I just left it at that.

At least my dad and Vanitas were a little more understanding. Call it mother's intuition, but I think she really just wanted the best for me. I understood that, at least. Kairi certainly wasn't no Namine, and to her, Namine was like the daughter that she never had, so I guess her standards were pretty high.

You would think that mine were too, but most people haven't seen the sides of Kairi that I've seen, I guess.

That's what happens when you live under the same roof.

From the mainland, Twilight Town wasn't too far away. I decided to just drive there, since it was more practical, despite my previous urge to use the train. Kairi leaned her seat back and closed her eyes while my music played softly in the background. It was a more comfortable silence between us than I had anticipated.

"So, Kairi," I said as I kept my eyes on the road. "Tell me about yourself."

This question was very long overdue, but I guessed now was a good time to ask.

"About myself? What do you want to know?"

"Anything. I feel like I've only heard about the bad things. What do you like about yourself?

"I… I don't know. What is there to like?"

"There's gotta be something."

"I like… how long my hair has gotten."

"Well, what I mean is, what is something that you're good at? What do you have a passion for?"

"I don't know. You read my essay, didn't you?" Kairi avoided my gaze.

"Yeah, and it was a little surprising. You want to work for child services?"

"Yeah, I want to help out other kids. No one deserves to go through what I did."

"I think that's very admirable. What else?"

"I don't really have any particular talents."

"That can't be true."

"I used to take piano lessons, if that means anything. I got to play for the mayor one time."

"Really? What song?"

"Uh, I don't remember which song but he really enjoyed it. I was about ten years old."

"Wow, that's a pretty neat accomplishment. I'd like to hear you play sometime."

"I haven't touched a piano since then. My dad got upset with me and broke it."

"That sucks."

"My dad never let me do anything, so that's why I don't really have any hobbies. All I did was study. If I got a bad grade, he beat me."

I really didn't want this to turn into a depressing conversation, but I listened regardless. Kairi's life was filled with torment, so it was only natural that it would come up. I just wished I could have stopped it earlier.

"I hate him so much. I tried to run away, but none of my _friends _would cover for me."

"What about Sora?"

"His parents hated me. We would always go to a secret island and hang out there, but eventually our parents found out where we had been going."

"A secret island?"

"Yeah, the one not far from Tropical Beach."

I pictured it in my head and nodded. "I see. I thought that place was abandoned like ten years ago."

"Well, to us, it was an escape. There were so many great memories on that island."

"Name some," I asked, hoping to hear more about the good rather than the bad. Even if Sora was involved, at least she was happy then.

"Uh," Kairi hesitated for a moment as she sat up, "Well, I can't really remember everything, but…"

"That's alright. Just tell me your favorite one."

"It's a little… romantic," Kairi said, blushing.

"I don't mind."

"Well, we were on the island one night. People were shooting fireworks from the mainland and we could see them. It was just us, and I was probably about thirteen or fourteen. Then, a huge pink and orange firework went off in the sky, and just as that happened, Riku leaned over and kissed me on my cheek."

Wait a minute.

"Riku?" I questioned.

"Huh? What about Riku?" Kairi asked, as if she was oblivious about her own story.

"You said that he kissed your cheek."

Gasping, Kairi immediately shook her head. "No, I meant Sora! Sora did that. Riku was there but he was with someone else…"

Okay, that was a little weird. Why would she forget a detail like that?

"Uh, okay, if you say so," I shrugged it off.

"Sora was the one that kissed me. I swear. I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking."

"It's alright. You were happy, though, weren't you?"

Kairi was a little thrown off, but she nodded. "Yeah. It's one of the few nice memories that I have."

"Well, you should hold onto those and let them be a reminder that it's possible to make some more," I said, smiling at her. We both chuckled.

Part of me wanted to reach for her hand.

The rest of the drive was fairly quiet, as usual, but I was glad that we were at least able to talk about something other than her hellish life. As I merged off of the interstate, I realized that there was a lot more traffic than I liked, but that was to be expected. This was a pretty big event, but thankfully we had arrived just a little after lunch time. I hadn't been to Twilight Town in quite a while, so I was excited for today and tomorrow. The entire town seemed to be bustling with that lively, festival spirit, and it just felt good to be here.

Good choice, Kairi.

"If you don't mind, we're going to stop by the hotel first. I hope they have some rooms available," I said, kind of wishing I planned this a little more in advance. I highly doubted it, considering the amount of travelers that would be coming here, but it didn't hurt to try. Once I made it to the Grand Hotel, I parked just outside the lobby.

"I'll wait here," Kairi said.

"Okay." I went inside. There was a small line leading up to the front desk. After about five minutes, I was finally able to talk to a representative. She wore very bright colors and even had some glitter on her face, as if she was celebrating the festival from behind the counter.

"How may I help you?"

"I was wondering if you had any rooms available with two beds?"

"Sorry, those are all sold out. There is one luxury suite on the top floor, though."

"Luxury suite? How much is that for one night?"

"Just $174," she quoted. "Should I go ahead and book it?"

"That's pretty expensive, and plus I'll have to sleep on a couch. No—"

"It comes with a great view and complimentary breakfast _and_ lunch only available to those on that floor. Also, check out time is by one instead of eleven for all luxury suites."

"That price is a little—"

"How about $150 for the night, and that's because I like you."

She was really persistent. Then again, with the town being this busy, would I really be able to find another place to stay?

Oh, hell. Why not? Kairi would probably be happy.

"I'll take it."

o-o-o

She wasn't kidding when she said it was a _luxury _suite.

It was basically a miniature one-bedroom apartment. A black, leather sectional lined the far left wall and a huge, sixty-two inch TV was plastered on the wall. There was a kitchen, wooden floors and even a door that cut off the bed from the rest of the hotel room.

Maybe I'll take that job.

"Wow, this is amazing!" Kairi exclaimed as she looked out of the glass window. "You can see the entire city from here!"

"Yeah, just be careful and don't break anything. This room wasn't cheap."

"I can't believe you got us a room like this!"

"Well, it was all they had, apparently, and I didn't want to spend the day searching for a place to stay. Anyway, you can have the bed. This couch looks comfortable enough."

"Can't we just share the bed? It's big enough," Kairi said, making my insides swirl.

"Uh, that won't be—"

"I'm kidding, dork," she giggled and then went back into the living room. After getting over my initial embarrassment, I set my bag down by the couch and stared out at the sky. This was definitely a nice change of pace, and I was glad that I forced myself to do something different for once.

"Do you mind if we stop by my aunt's house before heading to the festival?" I asked.

"Yeah, that's fine."

o-o-o

Have you ever met your doppelganger? I sure have. He was in the form of a sixteen-year old boy and he was a spitting image of how I looked when I was a teen. At first, I was a little thrown off by it, but now I just accepted it.

Kairi was quite surprised by the resemblance.

"Ven, it's been ages! What have you been doing?" My aunt Jenna asked, pulling me into a tight hug. Roxas watched from the background, quiet as ever as he played some game on a portable device.

"This is Kairi. She and I are here today and tomorrow, and… well, we're going to have a baby soon."

"What?!" Aunt Jenna gasped, then immediately hugged Kairi too. "Congratulations!"

"T-Thanks," I said, trying to hide the redness in my cheeks.

"I wish I was more prepared! Why did you show up so unexpectedly?"

"I kind of made the decision to come here this morning."

"Where are you staying?"

"At the Grand Hotel."

"Idiot! You could have just stayed here!"

You know what? She was right, but I wasn't going to expect it. Now that she said it, though, I kind of regretted dropping so much money for that room.

She was just ecstatic; then again, my aunt Jenna was always this way. She was quite the contrast from my mother.

"Are you two hungry? Roxas, get up and serve our guests something!"

With a heavy sigh, Roxas raised from the couch, but he kept his eyes glued on the screen before him as he headed into the kitchen. I was expecting him to run into something, but he didn't. We joined him in there while my aunt went upstairs to do a few things. Roxas used one hand to get some cups for us, placing them onto the table one at a time as he continued to focus on his game.

"What are you playing?" I asked.

"An RPG," he responded simply.

"What does that mean?" Kairi asked. I shook my head.

"Hey, Roxas, why don't you come to the festival with us?"

"Loud music and a bunch of people? Not my thing."

"Come on. I hear that you don't get out much. Besides, we're only here until tomorrow. I haven't seen you in like six years."

Roxas poured us a glass of water and then returned the pitcher to the fridge. After that, he stood there for a moment with both hands on the device, then finally shut it. He gave me a stern look.

"I don't want to. I hate being the third wheel."

"You won't be a third wheel. I'll buy you food," I offered, hoping that would convince him.

"Roxas, go with them!" My Aunt Jenna appeared, as if she had listened to our entire conversation. Roxas groaned and tried to leave the kitchen, but my aunt didn't let him. "I'll take a day off of your restriction if you do."

"Restriction?" I asked.

"He was vandalizing school property," she whispered. Roxas rolled his eyes.

"In the middle of summer?"

"I was bored, and it wasn't vandalism. It was art."

"Been there, done that," Kairi said nonchalantly. I gave her a confused look.

"Roxas, you're going," my aunt demanded.

o-o-o

Although it was a bit limited on space, my aunt offered to take us all downtown so that we didn't have to find a place to park. She drove slowly through the entourage of pedestrians, finally stopping just a street over from the main event. Roxas trotted behind us with his head down and his hands tucked into his pockets. He was definitely filling the rebellious teenager role. I kept my eye on him just to make sure he didn't run off the first chance he got. Kairi stayed rather close to me, bumping shoulders every now and then, but I didn't think much of it due to the amount of people all around us.

"It's too bright out here," Roxas called from behind us.

"It's nice out."

There were tons of booths set up with different attractions. As we went through the crowd, Kairi became more protective of her belly. She wasn't really enjoying the tight space, but at the same time, she was excited to see what the festival had to offer.

Taking her hand in mine, I pulled her through the crowd.

We finally found a more low-key part of the festival. There was a shop selling donuts and other pastries, so we decided to stop in there for a quick snack. After I paid for everyone's food, we sat at an empty table near the back of the shop.

"So, Roxas, how have you been? You've changed a lot since I last saw you. How old were you? Ten?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, maybe?"

"You've really mellowed out. What grade are you in?"

"Tenth. I was held back a year."

"Do your friends still talk to you?" Kairi asked, thinking it was a legitimate question but it just came across to him as prying. Roxas sent her a glare before shrugging it off, basically answering her question with just that.

"Well, I'm not here to lecture you or anything. I hope you get your life on track," I said. "And Kairi, what was that about you doing vandalism?"

Her frown turned into a crooked smile. "I had fun in high school. Didn't you ever do anything _rebellious_, Ven?"

Roxas seemed more interested at this point.

"No, my record is pretty clean."

I felt like I was part of an interrogation now, probably similar to how we were making my cousin feel.

"Actually," I began, "there is something, but I'd rather not say. It's pretty bad."

"Oh! Tell me!"

"Yeah, spill," Roxas chimed in.

My face reddened as I recalled the memory. "I think it will be obvious once I say that Van was involved."

"That could be an entire range of things," Roxas responded.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to tell them something I swore to never tell anyone else in life.

"It was my Junior year of high school. My friend, Axel, whom had stayed behind a few grades, was planning a huge senior prank. Of course, Vanitas wanted to be in on this, even though he was only in eighth grade at the time. How he found out about it was beyond me, but I had to follow him out of the house one night. Axel was setting up for the prank just outside of the school; he was basically pouring soap all over the steps leading into the building and all around, and then he was going to break in and pour soap all over the hallways."

"That sounds like something Axel would do," Kari said, chuckling.

"That sounds lame as hell," Roxas added.

"Yeah. There was more to it, but that's the basic premise. Vanitas, however, was fascinated by the thought of doing something that could possibly get him expelled, and I went after to stop him. Unfortunately, we were all caught by the police."

Kairi gasped. "What happened to you?"

"I was thrown in jail for a night, along with my brother. My parents weren't happy about the bail."

"That's crazy for someone like you, but it's not _that_ bad," Kairi said, sitting back in her chair, but then adjusting again. "I need to pee," she announced before leaving the table.

"What is up with girls and telling us their bathroom business?" Roxas asked after she was out of earshot.

"I don't know," I said, shrugging. Turning to my cousin, I smirked. "So, have you found a girlfriend yet?"

"Do I look like the type of person that would have a girlfriend?"

"Hey, you're basically a miniature me, and I'm not that bad."

"Yeah, you got a much younger girl pregnant. Tell me, how did _that _come about?"

Roxas had some spunk.

"It's a complicated story, but basically, all you need to know is that alcohol is not your friend."

His mouth gaped open for a moment. "You were _drunk_?!"

"Regrettably, and after an unfortunate series of events, I think that I'm finally—"

"Uh, what are you guys talking about?" Kairi interrupted, shooting me a glare as she retrieved her phone from the table.

"Nothing," we answered in unison.

Oh, damn it. She was mad now. She heard me. Kairi stomped off toward the bathroom. Roxas sent me a confused look before rolling his eyes at her sudden reaction.

"You better fix it," Roxas said.

"Stay here," I said as soon as I saw Kairi leaving the bathroom and heading for the door. I wasn't about to let her leave my sight, especially not in a foreign city. "Seriously, don't go anywhere."

Roxas took out his portable device and leaned back, as if he expected something like this to happen. I didn't have time to stick around, obviously, so I just rushed after Kairi. She was heading in some random direction, stomping her feet as she went and just looking completely ridiculous. We entered an alleyway off of the main street, and I had finally caught up to her.

"Kairi, where are you going? Stop," I said, blocking her.

"I knew it! I knew you regretted it!" She yelled, trying to get past me.

"What? Kairi, you didn't let me finish! I was actually going to say—"

"Get away from me. I don't care." She pushed past me, but in that moment, I was able to grab onto her arm.

"Please don't walk away from me. This is a pretty big town. It's really easy to get lost."

"What do you care if I disappear?!"

"We've had this conversation. Kairi, stop for a moment and listen to me."

"Get off of me!"

Putting my hands up in surrender, I tried to show her that I wasn't willing to fight. She wasn't buying it, however, and just turned and kept walking down the alleyway until she came out to an opening that led to a sandlot. With virtually nowhere else to turn, Kairi tried to get past me once again, but I didn't let her.

"Why are you doing this? What did you mean by an _unfortunate series _of events? Huh? Are you _that _ashamed of me?"

I felt like we were always coming back to this, and I was tired of it.

That was it. That was fucking it.

Without giving her any time to react, I wrapped one arm around her and pulled her forward. Kairi gasped and nearly lost her balance as I cupped her cheek with my other hand and went in for a kiss.

As soon as our lips touched, all of my anger vanished.

It was unfamiliar to me. It had been such a long time since I did something like this, but yet I couldn't pull away. It only made my desire stronger, and eventually, I had her up against the side of the building and could not stop myself. It was like everything I had kept inside was pouring out, and I couldn't let go of her. This was quite the change from the night before…

"Ven—" she whispered, trying to comprehend the situation as she gently attempted to push me away, but I just kept kissing her. I couldn't believe how good it felt to be doing this, and I was hoping that eventually, she would give in.

She wanted this, didn't she?

With both of my arms around her waist, I increased my pressure and got so close that our bodies were touching. Finally, after much hesitation, Kairi started to kiss back, making everything feel a million times better. I lost count of how many times we came up for air…

Finally, after what felt like forever, we parted from each other, each taking a moment to compose ourselves.

Looking straight into her eyes, that was when reality struck. I took a few steps back, crumbling from the inside out as I realized the intensity of the situation.

Shit…

_Retreat… retreat…_

…what have I done?!

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** Uh oh, Ven just did something quite reckless, don't you think? I know the description on the kiss is quite lacking, but it's meant to be that way because it's through Ven's perspective, and remember, he really hasn't done that in a very long time.

Also, I'm happy that I was able to bring Roxas into this. Don't worry! Vacation part two will be in the next chapter!

Pwease leave a **review**. Those make me happy.  
'til next time!


	21. Twenty One

**A/N:** Here's part two of the vacation. Thanks to everyone that has been reviewing up until this point. I really appreciate it, especially those that read the story and then come back to review it later. That really surprised me and showed me that you guys really do care! How nice.

I'll also have you know that I am eventually going to rewrite this story and try to get it published. I came up with original character names and even found some actors that would portray them perfectly, (Jason Dolley for Ven's character ftw) so I'm super excited about that!

Please enjoy this chapter, and do note that we have between five and ten chapters to go—I'm not quite sure but probably more toward eight or ten.

Leave a **review** at the end! And check out **Painted With a Palette **and **Princess-Xion.** They are awesome people and they write amazing stories. I recommend **Lover's Internal Quarrel ** by **Painted With a Palette,** (which I will read the new chapter of soon!), and **Tears on the Runway **and **Gaurdians** by **Princess-Xion**. They each have very compelling writing styles and I've learned a lot from them!

Without further ado, here's the chapter!

o-o-o

**Twenty-One.**

o-o-o

Well, _now_ I felt like an idiot.

I couldn't even look at her without hating myself even more. I let myself get caught up in the moment and I did exactly what I told myself not to do. Now, she was probably thinking about how horrible of a person I was for even doing that.

Unable to face her, I said, "We should probably be heading back now. We can't leave Roxas alone for too long."

"Okay."

Surprised by her simple answer, I just decided to start walking and hoped that she would follow. We got back out onto the main road, where a bunch of people were going up and down the street, chatting happily away as they strolled down the road with their friends and family. I forced myself to smile, but deep down I just wanted to go home at the moment. Kairi walked with her hands behind her back and her head down.

Pretending wasn't my strong suit. We made it back to the donut shop. Roxas was playing his 3DS over where we left him.

"Took you guys long enough," he mentioned, not looking up from his game once.

"Sorry about that," I said, taking a seat. Kairi just continued to stand.

"I want to go and check out the mansion. I hear that's actually interesting."

"Alright, we can go and do that."

o-o-o

I spent the rest of the day trying to forget what happened earlier, distracting myself with the festival's activities and keeping up with my group. There were seven different sections of the festival, each with their own unique theme. I mostly enjoyed the one about the mansion, and I think that the others did too. Now, we were heading out to Sunset Hill by trolley. The festival took place all over Twilight Town, but thankfully, the other parts were easily accessible and it wasn't as crowded in some areas.

"So, what's the _wonder_ here?" Kairi asked as soon as we reached the top of the hill.

"They say a magic train goes along the tracks sometimes," Roxas said, rolling his eyes. "I did a paper on it once, but I never saw anything. Honestly, I think all of these _wonders_ are just a load of crap."

"There has to be some sort of foundation to it," I said, leaning over the railing. Being the history buff that I was, I wanted to basically know everything about the origins of these so-called wonders, so I was reading any and every sign that we came across, much to my cousin's dismay. He just wanted to see them and be gone; he didn't really care too much about the details like I did. Kairi stood next to me, keeping her eyes focused on the train tracks below.

"I think someone was bored one day and just came out with seven wonders," Roxas said. "Hell, even I could start a rumor. Oh! Guess what, guys? There's this big, golden bird that flies across the skies every Sunday and only special people can see it! It makes rainbows appear!"

"Now, that's highly unlikely," I said, chuckling.

"But people believe in the imaginary train."

"Apparently there have been some sightings."

"Well, I don't see anything," Kairi said, sitting on the bench and stretching her legs out.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah."

Figuring that she was probably tiring herself out, we decided to take yet another break before going on our way again.

After going on a few rides, attending a petting zoo, and even winning a stuffed animal at a target shooting game, we were all pretty tired. I may have grown out of these things, but I was happy just to be here, despite the little incident that afternoon. Kairi seemed to be enjoying herself, at least, and I guessed that was all that mattered.

All and all, I thought that this was a pretty decent trip so far.

"What does everyone want for dinner?" I asked as we headed down the crowded street. A band was playing on stage and it was attracting a lot of attention.

"Seafood," Roxas answered.

"Yuck," Kairi said, sticking out her tongue.

"Fine, what about Italian food?"

"I could go with that."

"There's a really neat place off of Main Street."

"How far is that?" Kairi whined. I guess she must have been having some trouble because of the pregnancy.

"Just around the corner."

Once we made it there, Kairi left once again to go to the bathroom while Roxas and I waited for a seat. The place was packed, which was to be expected during the festival. All of a sudden, Roxas ducked behind me.

"What are you doing?"

"See that guy over there?" Roxas asked, pointing to the far table. A guy with a black beanie was laughing with a group of friends.

"Yeah, so? What about him?"

"He always picks on me. I hate him." Roxas continued to hide, hoping that the guy didn't look over here. He seemed to have that 'tough guy' persona, but I bet deep down he was just a wuss. If he tried to mess with any of us, I would definitely put him in his place. No one messes with my family.

"Don't worry about him," I reassured my cousin. He continued to use me as a human shield.

Finally, we were called to be seated. Roxas stayed close to me as we followed the server to our table. Once we were out of eyesight, he took a huge sigh of relief as he settled into his chair. I ordered some water for Kairi and myself and just looked out for her so she could find us.

"He's a freaking jerk. Last year, he placed a bunch of crabs in my locker."

"What? That's crazy."

"Yeah, he's also stolen my homework from me several times and put his own name on it. He always bugs me in the hallway and has basically turned all of my friends against me."

"I guess they weren't really your friends."

"They were afraid of him. They didn't want to be picked on."

"Real friends would stay by your side."

Roxas rolled his eyes.

"For a while, he was actually nice to me. I thought it was a little weird, considering our history, but one day he just started talking to me like a normal person and asking me to hang out."

"That doesn't make much sense."

"Yeah. Stupid me thought that if I hung out with him, he wouldn't pick on me anymore, but it was all a ploy to get me into trouble. That's why I was suspended the last few days of school—because he wanted to vandalize school property. He said he would be right back or something, then a few minutes later, the principal showed up. I think he went and told on me. It was all a set up."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have gone out there with him in the first place."

"I don't need a lecture. That's what my mom's here for. Actually, she was thinking about sending me off to live with your mom because she's more of a disciplinarian, apparently."

"Really?" I asked, wondering if that would actually be beneficial. I would have offered for him to stay with me, considering I had plenty of room, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to take care of a baby and a teenager at the same time, as well as Kairi. That was three kids too many, in my opinion.

I laughed to myself at the thought. Yeah, Kairi still had a lot of growing up to do, but she was still transitioning into adulthood.

Kairi found us a moment later and sat down across from me. I tried smiling at her to ease any tension she may have felt, but she just looked away.

"Guys, I feel a little sick. I probably won't eat much."

"Drink some water," I urged. "You're probably just dehydrated."

Kairi did so. Roxas and I dropped the conversation about his troubled high school life and ordered our food as soon as the server came by.

"Kairi, are you having fun?" I asked.

"Yeah, I guess." Her eyes avoided mine as she fiddled with her fork.

"You two are making me feel awkward," Roxas said, reaching for some bread in the middle of the table.

"Sorry," we both said in unison. Roxas eyed us for a moment and then shrugged.

"So, Roxas, do you plan on going to college?" Kairi asked.

"I don't know. I can hardly keep up with grades."

"If you ever need some help, you can always call me," I told him.

"I think I'll just wing it," Roxas responded. "I've got two more years to think about it."

o-o-o

After picking up my car at my Aunt Jenna's house, Kairi and I made it back to the hotel around ten. She hadn't really talked to me much since that afternoon, and I didn't want to make things any worse than they already were.

"If you need to do anything in the bathroom, you can go first," I told her as I slipped off my shoes. Kairi stopped in the bedroom doorway and looked back at me.

"So, you're not going to tell me why you stopped kissing me earlier?"

I figured this question would come up eventually. Sighing, I leaned against the counter and stared at the floor.

"I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry."

Walking up to me, Kairi looked at me with desperate eyes.

"You're sorry for something that you wanted to do all along?"

"What?"

"I know you've been watching me, Ven. I know you feel the way that I do, so why do you hold back so much?"

I had already taken this a step too far. I gave into my desires and I just let it happen, but as much as I wanted to regret it, I didn't so much anymore. All I wanted to do was kiss her again, and it was making my insecurities disappear one by one…

She stepped even closer to me and my heart felt like it would burst any moment. Placing her hands gently around me, it was as if my entire body had gone numb.

I wanted her...

"Ven, why are you so afraid?" Kairi whispered, not taking her eyes off of me.

"I… I don't know…" I choked out, taking a step backward, but I ended up falling onto the couch in the process. This didn't stop Kairi, however, as she crawled onto my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck; her face inching ever so closer to mine. I was hypnotized at this point…

"You don't have to hide things from me anymore."

"Kairi, I…"

"Tell me what's wrong."

Maybe she was right. Maybe I could trust her…

Placing my hands on her hips, I eased myself into the thought that maybe this wasn't so bad after all. Taking a deep breath, I decided that I would tell her everything.

"You want to know why I'm so afraid?"

Kairi nodded slightly, giving me her undivided attention.

"Well, obviously, I haven't been in a relationship in a long time. I'm afraid that if I lost you too, I wouldn't be able to handle it."

There. That summed it up, right?

"Aww, Ven, you wouldn't lose me."

"You say that, but anything could happen. Can I really trust you, Kairi?"

"What does that mean?"

"I mean, can I trust that you won't hurt me?"

Instead of getting offended, Kairi merely smiled and kissed my cheek.

"Can I tell you a secret?" She asked, her innocent nature throwing me a little off guard.

"S-Sure…"

With a warm smile, Kairi leaned in. Her hot breath hit my ear, sending chills down my spine as I waited for her to say something.

"I think I love you, Ven."

My eyes widened at this revelation. She looked back at me again, hopeful that I would return the same feelings. However, when I didn't say anything, I really expected her to get upset.

Instead, her lips crashed into mine and once again, I was trapped within the depths of my internal desire…

Here was a girl that had literally been to hell and back, finding a silver lining in someone like me. Even if she was childish sometimes, I still felt this intense attraction to her, and I could no longer let myself hold onto the possibility that I may actually get hurt again from this. I wanted to trust that there was something more to this. I wanted to let my guard down and love again. I needed her just as much as she needed me, and I was tired of always waiting for a miracle.

If you want miracles to happen, you can't just sit around and do nothing.

Kairi left no mercy as she switched between my lips and neck, increasing the passion with each passing moment. She even nibbled slightly on my ear, causing me to let out an involuntary groan before she shut me up with another kiss. I fell onto my back and let her get on top of me. It was a little weird with her being pregnant and all, but I didn't want her to stop.

"We should go to the bed so that I can lay on my side," Kairi suggested. I obliged and immediately led her into the bedroom, but before we jumped onto the bed, I pulled her into an intense kiss. She tugged on my shirt a little. Looking down at her with a soft smile, I just lifted my arms up so that she could take it off for me. Kairi stood on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek right after, causing my face to redden. Then, she held her arms up, as if she was wanting me to do the same.

Lifting her blouse over her head, I finally was able to see what her belly really looked like. Yeah, I know, it was a little strange that I hadn't seen it until now, but it definitely gave me a sense of happiness that I couldn't help. I didn't even care that her bra was in plain sight.

She was just beautiful to me.

"We don't have to have sex or anything," she told me as we crawled into the bed. "I just want you to hold me."

My heart fluttered at her words. "I can do that."

I couldn't imagine myself having sex with her when she was pregnant, anyway. Although a lot of people did that, it just felt weird to me, so, I really preferred this. Wrapping my arms around her from behind, I placed my hands across her belly and closed the distance between us. My bare chest against her skin was warm and really made me feel a lot better than I did before. I left a small trail of kisses down her neck before snuggling up close to her.

This bed was probably a _lot _more comfortable than the couch. My soft breath hit her neck, causing her to shudder a little. After a few moments of silence, Kairi spoke up again.

"Ven, do you love me too?"

Lifting my head up, I stalled for a moment. It was definitely a hard question to answer at the moment, and if I didn't say the right thing, that couch may end up being exactly where I sleep tonight.

"I think I'm getting there."

She seemed satisfied with this answer. "I'm glad."

I chuckled and gently leaned over her so I could kiss her lips again. This turned into another five minute make out session, but I wasn't complaining one bit. Just having her in my arms was good enough for me.

I was _definitely_ getting there.

o-o-o

The next morning, I woke up right next to her. I hadn't slept that well in a long time.

I kissed her cheek before getting out of bed, looking back at her as I headed for the bathroom. She slept peacefully, holding tightly onto one of the pillows. Smiling to myself, I shut the bathroom door.

After I was done doing my business, I decided to get dressed and go check out what the hotel had for breakfast and bring it back to the room for her. Slipping on my shoes, I was about to leave when Kairi emerged from the bedroom in nothing but her underwear.

"Where are you going?" She asked, concern filling her face.

"Getting us some breakfast. I'll be right back," I said as I walked over to her and kissed her.

"I thought you were leaving me."

"You know I won't do that."

Pouting, Kairi went back over to the bed, but all I could do was laugh.

"I'll be back. Promise."

Hotel key in hand, I made me way down to the club lounge. There weren't too many people in here, considering at was a little after nine, but at least there was still plenty of food left. I guess it would have been better to bring Kairi along so that she could choose what she wanted, but my plan to surprise her with breakfast in bed was kind of thrown out the window since she knew I was here. I threw tons of bacon onto one plate, some scrambled eggs on another, and got some fruit bowls and even cereal. I put it all on a tray and carried it back to the room.

When I got back, I could hear the shower going, so I just set the tray on the counter and waited for her to come out.

Wow.

I couldn't believe that we had come this far. I used to think that she was just a brat, but now, I was seeing her as something so much more than that.

Maybe we actually were a good match for each other. I didn't expect her to say that she loved me, but it felt nice all the same. I couldn't say it back just yet, but I knew as each day went by, it probably wouldn't be long.

Kairi came out wrapped in a towel. I smiled at her from the couch.

"What did you bring?" She asked, not bothering to get dressed. "Oh, it all looks so good!"

I loved seeing her so happy. We ate breakfast and cuddled up on the couch for a little bit before packing up again. I didn't mind staying in the room at all. It was nice to just relax for once, and I was sure that Kairi was enjoying it as well.

Finally, it was time to check out of the hotel and return home. Kairi held onto her purse as I carried her bag for her, as well as my own. On the drive home, there were several instances where I did get to hold her hand, and it made the trip even better.

"So, do you think you're going to quit teaching history?" Kairi asked.

Oh, shit. I forgot about that.

However, maybe it was the right thing to do. As much as I loved the subject, Vanitas was right. It didn't change. Plus, I wasn't sure how people at the University even felt about me anymore, and I definitely didn't want to deal with more drama than I needed. Even Aqua ditched me the moment she found out that I slept with Kairi, so what good were those people, anyway? They didn't care about my side of things—they only took it for the face value.

I guess I would just have to inform President Eraqus pretty soon so that they could find a replacement. School started next month, so surely there was still plenty of time, right?

"You know what? I think I will. Being a lifeguard isn't my dream job, but it would be stupid to turn down so much money, wouldn't it?"

"I guess," Kairi responded.

"Besides, if I have more money, we can do more things as a family, granted that I'm given the time off to do so. You might not even have to work."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You can focus on homeschooling our child."

"Homeschool?" Kairi gave me a confused look.

"At least up until kindergarten. Then he can go to a real school."

"Why can't we just send him to preschool?"

"I think that you can teach him a lot more than they can. You're smart, Kairi."

"What if I don't want to?"

It seemed as if we weren't going to agree on this, so I tried dropping the subject, but of course, Kairi wanted an explanation for everything. She took her hand away from mine and crossed her arms, huffing.

"Alright, alright. He can go to preschool."

"You're not going to be making all the decisions."

"I know."

"And I'll work if I want to."

"Okay. I'm glad. I don't mind that at all."

After a moment or two, Kairi calmed down some.

"You know, my birthday is coming up."

"Oh, really? When?"

"August 16th."

That was in about two weeks.

"Well, I guess we'll have to do something special, then. Do you have anything in mind?"

"I've been wanting to go swimming for a while now. Maybe something like that?"

"Sure. I like swimming."

"Well, obviously, Mr. Lifeguard."

The rest of the trip was quiet. We arrived at my parent's house thirty minutes later. Kairi remained in the car as I went up to the door.

Vanitas opened the door and let me inside. Lilah and Caesar were sleeping on the couch.

"Could you have come at a worse time? I just put her down for a nap."

"Sorry, but I do need to take Caesar," I said. "Kairi wants to get home."

"Why didn't she come inside?"

"She's upset with me," I said casually, a smile creeping up on my face. Caesar finally noticed me and jumped off the couch. Lilah stirred a little, but didn't wake up. I had forgotten how much of a heavy sleeper she was, which played to our advantage, anyway.

"Tell mom I said thanks."

"You seem happier than usual," Vanitas pointed out as I headed for the door. Stopping, I turned to look at him; my smile not faltering as I gave him a thoughtful stare.

"Do I?" I asked before going. Vanitas just tilted his head. He probably knew that something happened between Kairi and I.

He was probably expecting it all along.

I guess he was right. There was a slight skip in my step today.

Putting Caesar into the car, I couldn't stop him from jumping into Kairi's lap. Kairi's anger seemed to have faded the moment the dog appeared, and she held onto him while I drove.

"I'm glad we went on this vacation, even if it was short. I had a great time with you, Kairi."

"I guess I had a good time too."

Turning onto my street ten minutes later, I noticed that there was a silver Hyundai parked in my driveway. Kairi gasped, as if she had immediately recognized this vehicle.

"Oh my god. We need to get out of here, now!"

"What? Why? Who is that?" I asked, driving a little slower. I saw someone sitting on my front step with their phone out.

It was her father.

Shit.

"How did he find me?" Kairi panicked.

"Stay here and lock the doors. If worse comes to worse, drive away. Got it?" I demanded, parking on the side of the road.

"What are you doing? You're not going to go over there, are you?!"

"This is my house. He has no right to be here," I answered as I stepped out of the car. Mr. Hikari adjusted his glasses and looked over at me, but he didn't get up. I marched up to him, anticipating what he was going to do.

"So, this is where my daughter has been all along?" He asked, finally standing. The man towered over me, but I wasn't afraid. "I get the feeling that you're not just a friend of hers. Do you know how worried I've been over the past three months?"

"I highly doubt that."

"Her mother and I have been worried sick. Please give us our daughter back," he said calmly but firmly.

"That's a lie. Kairi's mother isn't around and you're full of shit."

"What?" He genuinely seemed confused by my words, but I figured he was just really good at acting oblivious.

"Get off my property before you get hurt. I'm not letting you go near her!"

"I know that she's legally an adult, but we know that she's not ready to be out on her own. Please, we miss her…"

"You don't have to worry about her anymore. Oh, and that letter you wrote? Were you trying to threaten me?"

"Letter? I never wrote a letter."

This guy was playing dumb and it was really getting on my nerves. Getting into a defensive stance, I was ready to do whatever it took to protect myself and Kairi.

I didn't take anyone's shit anymore.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N: **Well, that got a little intense, didn't it? More to come in the next chapter, so stay tuned and I hope you enjoyed this one!

I guess I'll tell you the new character's names for the book! I really want to get myself published someday, and I know that this story isn't perfect, but I will make it perfect and maybe someday it will be made into a movie!

**Ven - **Kristian (Kris) Thomas  
**Kairi - **Arielle Harper  
**Vanitas - **Shaun Thomas  
**Lilah **stays!  
**Sora -** Evan Reed

I can't decide Riku's name, though.

Leave a **review**! Bye bye!


	22. Twenty Two

**A/N:** My, oh my! What a response to the news of possibly getting this story published someday! It's great to know that I have supporters! :D

o-o-o

**Chapter Twenty-Two.**

o-o-o

Mr. Hikari gave me a perplexed look as he walked toward me. I stayed on guard as I blocked him from going any further. Something wasn't quite right.

"Is Kairi at least okay?"

His change in mood really threw me off.

"I'm not telling you anything."

"I heard she was pregnant. Will we even get to see our grandchild?"

He must have been a really good conman. I still didn't trust him. With all the things Kairi told me he did, he must have been a professional at covering it up if he made it this far without any repercussions.

"I don't know why you're being so difficult, Ventus."

How did he know my name? He must have written that letter, or at least had some sort of contact with Sora…

He and Sora could have been working together. They could have planned all of this as a ploy to get Kairi to come home…

Kairi remained in my car. I could hear Caesar barking. Mr. Hikari looked onward at her; in which she merely ducked.

"Well, I guess we're not going to get anywhere. I'm glad to see that she's at least doing okay here. Tell her to call the house sometime, or even her mother's house. She would love to hear how she's doing," Mr. Hikari said as he walked past me and toward his car.

What was this guy' deal?!

Strangely, he got into his car, pulled out of the driveway and drove off. I rubbed the back of my head in confusion as to what just happened. Kairi finally deemed it safe to come out, bringing my keys along with her. We stood at the front door as we waited for Caesar to finish doing his business.

"What did you guys talk about?" Kairi asked, still a little apprehensive.

"He said he and your mother really wanted to hear from you, but that doesn't make sense because you told me that she wasn't around."

Kairi scoffed. "What a liar. He was just trying to get to you. He's such a manipulative piece of…"

"I figured. Let's just go inside," I said as I unlocked the front door. I poked my head in first to make sure there was no one around before letting Kairi and Caesar in, then proceeded to check the rest of the house.

It was just the way we left it.

Meeting back up with Kairi in the kitchen, I simply shrugged.

"Hey, Ven?" Kairi asked as she poured herself a glass of water.

"Yeah?"

"I've been meaning to ask… what are we now?"

"What do you mean?"

I thought she would be a little more upset about her father showing up. I guess not.

"I mean, are we… a couple now?"

That word hit me like a ton of bricks, but I should not have expected any less. It was one thing to kiss and cuddle, but to make it official…?

Hmm.

I didn't see why not. I wasn't one to play around when it came to relationships. I already went that extra mile, so may as well seal the deal. Walking up to her, I embraced her and pecked her forehead. Her face reddened.

"Only if you want to be."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You're not bad," I said, smirking. Kairi playfully hit me on the shoulder, but then buried her face into my chest as she hugged back. I ran my fingers through her hair and stood for a moment with her.

"So, does this mean that I have to keep sleeping in that room?"

Whoa, woman! One step at a time!

Well, we _did_ already have sex, whether I was conscious or not, and we did sleep in the same bed last night.

"I think it's about time we turn that room exclusively into a nursery. What do you think?" I asked. Kairi squealed with excitement as she held tighter onto me.

"I'm so excited for this child. He's going to have everything that I didn't, thanks to you."

"It won't just be me. You'll be guiding him as well."

"I don't know how to raise a child."

"Me neither, but I guess we'll have to learn together."

Kairi nodded and kissed me. I think she was meaning to make it a short one, but I gave in and kissed her a few more times before parting.

I was just _that _happy.

"I'm going to get ready for bed," Kairi told me; her finger trailing seductively down my chest for a moment before heading out of the kitchen.

Alright, calm it down…

o-o-o

Even though Kairi was pregnant, she looked sexy as hell in her red lace nightgown. She must have reserved this one for if we did end up getting together, because I certainly had not seen it on her before. Of course, we didn't do anything more than kiss and cuddle, just like the night before. Lying in bed next to her was good enough. I trailed my finger along the outline of her arm as she pressed her back up against me.

"Kairi, may I ask you something a little personal?"

"Uh, sure."

"First of all, I just want to say that you look absolutely amazing." She giggled in response. "But I was wondering, do you have any scars? I was checking you out earlier, admittedly, and I noticed that you didn't have any from what I could see. Abuse is bound to leave marks, so I was just trying to make sure that there wasn't a certain area that was more sensitive than another that I should be careful of?"

"Um, no. I'm okay now," Kairi said quietly. Figuring that I upset her, I dropped the subject and wrapped one arm around her as I lay my head onto the pillow.

"Alright. I'm glad."

o-o-o

This was it. I was making the career change of a lifetime.

Well, I didn't know if I would stick to being a permanent lifeguard, but at least for now, my path was set. I informed Rinoa and she told me that I had to prepare for a 1,000 metre ocean dash, something that I had only done twice before, but it had been a long time. This was sort of like an entrance exam for lifeguards, and then if I were to pass, I would have to take a series of aptitude tests.

Letting President Eraqus know that I would not be returning the next semester was particularly difficult, especially since he went out of his way to keep me there. I went to the campus to hand in my resignation in person. He was in his office doing some paperwork when I arrived. I knocked a few times on the door so that he would acknowledge my presence before letting myself in. I held the letter close to me.

"Ventus, what brings you here?" He asked as he stacked some papers and set them aside.

"Um, well, actually…"

I really didn't know how to do this. Being at this school was everything to me, but the fact of the matter was, it would be stupid not to take the other job. I would still be teaching, but it just wouldn't be the subject that I loved. I guess I could find some way to be passionate about the other one.

Instead of saying anything, I just handed him the letter. Eraqus watched me for a moment before looking over it. His eyebrows rose as he scanned the lines.

"So, that's it? You're leaving?"

"Yes, sir."

"Offered a higher paying position elsewhere. I guess I can't argue with that one, but it's quite a shame, Ventus. I think you'll be missed a lot around here."

"I'm sorry that it's such short notice."

"If we can't find a replacement, we'll just have to drop the class."

"I'm sorry."

"It can't be helped. Thanks for coming here in person, and I guess if you ever decide that you want to come back, it's open."

"Thanks a lot for understanding. I know I made kind of a mess last semester."

"Everyone probably forgot about it. How is that going, by the way?"

"Well," I blushed, "November is getting closer."

"Congratulations. I wish the best."

I stood and shook his hand. On my way out, I stopped for a moment and faced him.

"Is it alright if I go by the classroom one more time?"

"Be my guest," Eraqus smiled.

"Thanks."

Heading down the hallway, nostalgia and the realization hit me that I wouldn't have to come back here in September. As I went over to the History building, I almost didn't even want to go in. Placing my hand on the door, I pushed it open and stepped inside. There, on the wall was a picture I took with Aqua and President Eraqus at the start of my second year. I walked right past it and slowly went down the hall. Standing directly in front of my former classroom door, a bunch of scattered memories flashed through my head.

I had so many good times in there… and a few bad ones. However, this was where everything started, and parting with it was kind of hard to accept, especially since I worked so hard throughout high school and college to get here. As I entered the classroom and turned on the light, everything was exactly where I had left it before. My students must have taken their exams in a different classroom with the substitute. My desk was cleared off and a little dusty, all twenty-six chairs were lined up perfectly and I had even forgotten to roll the map up.

Damn it. Was I really making the right choice?

Money wasn't everything; I knew that, but maybe this time around, change would be a good thing. I would do whatever I could for my family.

Turning off the light switch, I took one last look before heading out, but on the way, I nearly ran into Aqua.

"Oh, Ven… what are you doing here?" She asked, looking a little disheveled. I was about to ask her the same thing when a familiar voice was heard from her classroom. Pretty soon, Terra popped out of there carrying a notebook.

"Whoa, look who it is!" Terra exclaimed as he ran up to us. Aqua's face reddened immensely. "If there's one place I'll always be able to find you, it's here!"

"Well, not anymore," I said. They both gave me a puzzled look. "I took another job."

"You're quitting? After I went through all that trouble to get you hired?" Aqua asked, astounded by this. I thought she hated me.

Hey, I worked my ass off to get here. All she did was help with the recommendation.

"Yeah, I couldn't argue with an extra 18K a year as a full-time lifeguard… not with a baby on the way."

"Whoa! You're gonna have a kid?!" Terra asked. Aqua just stared at the ground. I guess it really has been a while since I've spoken with him.

"Yeah. She's due in November."

"I've gotta meet her!"

Aqua was pretty quiet about this.

"You… have. Unless you were too drunk the night of Axel's birthday. Her name is Kairi."

"Kairi… Kairi…" Terra tried to recall, but he couldn't. "Nope. Not a clue."

"What are you doing here, by the way?"

"Me? Oh, Aqua was giving me some _special _lessons," Terra said; his eyes shifting up and down suggestively.

"We're going to go. Ven, I wish you the best in life," Aqua said, hurrying off in the other direction. I wondered if she was genuinely saying that or she was just too embarrassed by my dumb friend to stick around.

"Dude, we definitely should hang out again soon," Terra said before following after her.

Well, I wasn't expecting _that_ little tidbit.

o-o-o

Once September came around, I was already taking the last of the aptitude tests. I had made it into the top fifty contestants during the 1,000 metre ocean dash, which wasn't too bad considering that about 100 others applied. In the meantime, I was working four or five days a week instead of three, and strangely, we were getting busier as the summer was coming to a close. I had about six rescues in one day, which was way more than usual, and one time it took all day for me to find the parents of two lost children. The parents didn't even seem worried when I did find them, which really got under my skin and tested my patience. I highly considered taking a case to child services.

Speaking of that, I wondered if Kairi was going to try to get into that field. However, I was gone for the majority of the day, so I didn't have as much interaction with her as I would have liked. Regardless, things had been going fairly well. We had not heard from her disgusting father since that day that we returned from vacation. I was still wondering why he was acting so innocent.

I bought her a silver pendant for her birthday that she wore every single day, and it just made me happy to see her have it on. Kairi wasn't as irritable, despite the onset of pregnancy symptoms that she had now, such as headaches and frequent trips to the bathroom. We even started walking Caesar on the weekends just so she could exercise some. I still didn't want her to go out by herself.

This evening, she was watching Lilah for my brother while he worked late. Kairi would often do this now, since my mom and dad's schedules were over the place at the hotel. He paid her what he could for it, and I was glad that she was at least making a little money. It gave her something to do and probably helped in preparing for the baby.

I came home around eight that night. Kairi and Lilah weren't in the living room, but there were toys all over the floor. I heard some talking coming from upstairs, and it didn't sound pleasant. Standing at the edge of the stairs, I tried to listen in on what was going on.

"I hate you!" I heard Lilah yell, and then her little footsteps trotting around. This encouraged me enough to go up there and check it out, but halfway up the stairs, I suddenly heard Lilah yelp and start crying. Kairi's harsh voice overshadowed this.

"Listen, you little idiot, you're going to do what I say! Now pick those up and go get in bed!"

Why was she talking to her that way? I hurried up to where they were. Lilah was curled up in a corner with her hands covering her head.

"Hey!" I called out. Kairi immediately stepped away from her and took a few breaths. Lilah ran up to me and cried some more as she held onto me.

"Uncle Ven! Kairi hit me!"

"I did not!" Kairi hissed.

"Yes you did! You hit me in my mouth!"

I stared at her incredulously. Vanitas didn't hit his daughter; not even for punishment. Inspecting the red mark on Lilah's face, I sent Kairi a glare and picked her up. As I carried her out of the room, Kairi remained upstairs.

Thankfully, Lilah wasn't bleeding or anything, but I wasn't sure how I was going to explain this to my brother. Of course, I wasn't going to lie to him, but I just was at a loss. Comforting Lilah on the couch, I decided to distract her with a cartoon. She was more emotionally hurt than physically, and I couldn't even begin to describe the disappointment I felt for Kairi at the moment. Had she done this before?

"Do you feel better now?" I asked, stroking her brown hair.

"Now that you're here, Uncle Ven. I don't like Kairi anymore. She's mean."

"I don't think Kairi meant to hurt you."

"She said she was going to put me outside and make me sleep in the dog house!"

"She said that?"

Wow, this was really starting to disturb me. I knew that Kairi grew up in an abusive household, but this? Would I really have to worry about the well-being of my child at the hands of his own mother? The fact that even Lilah was affected really made me upset.

"I don't want to come over if she's here. But if you're here, I want to see you," Lilah said, cuddling up to me.

"Alright. Don't worry. I'll make sure to talk to Kairi."

I didn't have to wait long, because Kairi came downstairs right after I said that. She fell onto the recliner and stretched her legs out. Lilah sucked on her thumb as she hid behind me a little. Kairi didn't say anything to us for a first few moments as she took a few deep breaths. After that, she got up and came over to us, kneeling down so the she was at Lilah's level and smiling apologetically.

"I'm sorry for getting mad at you, Lilah bear."

Lilah simply turned her head and buried it into my side.

"You really should listen to me, though. Things would go more smoothly. It was your bed time and you knew it."

"Daddy says I can stay up until nine on Fridays!"

"Well, I'm not your daddy and I'm tired. See my stomach?"

Lilah looked and hesitated before nodding. I still wasn't too happy with Kairi.

"There's a baby in there, and sometimes he affects my mood. So, please don't be upset. I don't want you to hate me. I love you."

Lilah seemed to be contemplating it, and even I was starting to ease up a little. It must have taken a lot for Kairi to apologize, so I at least gave her credit for doing so. However, that didn't mean that we weren't going to talk about it later.

"Do you forgive me?" Kairi asked sweetly, taking Lilah's hand in hers. Lilah nodded slightly. Kairi opened her arms for a hug. Lilah did so, but I wasn't sure if she really forgave her or not.

"I'll go to bed now," Lilah said. "Can you help me get dressed?"

"I'll be glad to, sweetie."

Just like that, Kairi and Lilah went off to her room. I remained on the couch until she came back twenty minutes later. I eyed her as she sat on the couch next to me and took Lilah's place, but I was too upset to put my arm around her.

"Are you mad at me?"

"A little."

"Why?" Kairi said, her voice rising more than I expected.

"I know that it may be all you know, but I do not condone punishment by hitting of any sort, and neither does Vanitas."

"You know about my past. How can you be mad at me? I tried the best that I could. She just got me a little angry!" Kairi separated from me and got off the couch. "You have no right to sit there and judge me. I really tried, but we were going at it for a fucking hour!"

"Tone it down. You just put her to bed. That still gives you no right to hit her."

"I made a mistake. I'm not perfect."

Standing, I walked toward the hallway. "In the future, do not hit. Not Lilah, or any child. There are other forms of punishment that are much more effective."

"Are you walking away from me?" Kairi yelled. Geeze, why was she being so dramatic?!

"We'll talk more about this if you need to when you have calmed down, but right now, you're being very childish."

"Fuck off!"

_Really_?

Heading into the bathroom, I made sure to lock the door. I wasn't going to put up with her right now.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** How's THAT for a double update? Bet you weren't expecting that one! I hope you review again! Thanks!


	23. Twenty Three

o-o-o

**Twenty Three.**

o-o-o

Lilah woke up at least three times in the past hour. Sitting on the edge of her bed, I tried to comfort her once again.

"Uncle Ven, is Kairi a bad person?" she asked, looking up at me with big, curious eyes.

I sighed.

"No, she's just had a lot of bad things happen to her."

"Are you sure? Daddy says that once a bitch, always a—"

I put my finger over her mouth to quiet her. "You shouldn't say that word. Your dad is wrong this time."

Lilah sat up and hugged her knees.

"Daddy said bad words are a way to express yourself," she mumbled. I could tell she was really cranky at this point, because she was starting to get fidgety.

I smiled. "They're an _immature_ way to express yourself. Do you want to be immature?"

I already knew that I was a hypocrite. Leave me alone.

"What does that mean?"

Explaining immaturity to a four-year old was pointless, so instead, I just pat her on the top of the head.

"Go to sleep, girl."

"I don't want to," she pouted. "When will daddy get here?"

"When he gets here," I replied, glancing over at the clock. It was nearing ten, and my brother didn't get off until eleven-thirty. I hoped Lilah was asleep by then, otherwise Vanitas would have my hide for breakfast.

"Will you read me a story, then?" Lilah asked as she lay back down and pulled the covers over herself.

"I don't think I have any interesting stories," I told her. I kept some books in the closet, so I got up to look. Maybe I had _something_.

I ended up reading an excerpt from one of my world history books. It put her out in less than five minutes. Thank God. I didn't want to see an angry Vanitas tonight, or any night for that matter.

_Nobody _did.

Closing the door quietly, I half expected Kairi to start yelling again as soon as she saw me, but I didn't know where she was at the moment. I was still angry at her, but I didn't really know what to say to her.

Normally, I was a very calm and laid-back person. It took a lot for me to blow up.

While I was completely against Kairi's behavior towards my brother's child, I was able to stay collected. I also wasn't sure about letting her sleep in my bed with me tonight, mostly _because _I was mad, but I guessed I could just turn my back to her if it came down to—

My thought process came to a sudden halt as soon as Kairi entered the hallway. She was clad in a short, black slip-on. Despite her state of pregnancy, her legs were long and lean; the sweep of her collarbones and shoulders graceful and dare I say… enticing. She had that devilish glint in her eye, and she was walking toward me as if she was some runway star. She brushed all of her hair to one side of her head, exposing the curve of her throat, and I gulped. I may have been angry, but even I couldn't deny that she was hot…

In other words, this situation was going to cause some major fucking problems.

"Kairi, what are you doing?" I groaned in irritation, forcing myself to turn away from her. It took every fiber in my being (Hey, I was a man, after all) to start heading toward my bedroom door.

"Aww, are you still mad at me?" she whined in a rather innocent manner.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am," I said, trying to erase the image of her in that silk chemise from my mind. It was proving more difficult than I'd thought, especially since she was literally two feet behind me.

Kairi was the first person that I'd slept with in years. Granted, we were drunk and I couldn't remember anything about it, but it was still sex and it still happened. The thought of sleeping with her while sober wasn't entirely unappealing at all, actually, but the fact that Lilah was slumbering just down the hall made me feel a _little _uncomfortable.

That... or I was making excuses because I was nervous as hell.

Maybe it was a bit of both.

Still, I knew I had to stop while I was ahead. It wasn't the time. Someday soon, it would be, but that day was not today. There were just too many things on my mind. Lilah was here, Kairi was pregnant and I didn't have a _clue _how to do that sort of thing with a pregnant woman… nor did I think I even _remembered_ what to do in that situation.

Was I pathetic, or what?

I heard my door close behind her as we entered the room one after another, and I knew I had to do something. Before I could open my mouth, I felt hands on my shoulders. Unexpectedly, she whirled me around and pushed me up against my bedroom door. (I may have let that happen). Her cerulean eyes smoldered as she looked up at me, and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck straighten as I struggled to look away.

"_How _mad?" She whispered as her fingers danced across my chest. I looked to the bedroom door, my mind racing at the thought that Lilah slept just on the other side of it. _Aw crap._ I locked my gaze with Kairi's once more. I was feeling things that should not have been felt at this time, and I wasn't really sure how to control it, especially not after years of absolutely nothing happening to me below the belt. I mean, I wasn't an _animal_, but I couldn't deny what was being dangled on a silk thread right in front of my face for very much longer. Kairi was coming on so strong…

Hardly giving me any time to compose myself, Kairi immediately began kissing me, her lips crushing against mine with desperation for me that I'd never seen in her or in anyone else before. I tried not to give her any indication that I actually wanted this, but I was failing… _Badly_. I even put my hands up by my head, as if I was trying to surrender in order not to touch her.

She pulled back for a second, feathering kisses down the side of my sensitive throat. She was walking us backward, toward my bed and I fear that when we got there, there'd be no going back. It was already like I was trying to hold a lion back in its cage.

The lion was me, in case you were wondering.

"K-Kairi, I don't want to do this," I choked out, my breathing hitching as the hot breath that fanned across my skin, the tongue that darted forward to trace its path. "I'm r-really upset with you…"

"Show me how upset," Kairi breathed out. I felt her bare legs tangle with mine and I fell backward. My back hit the mattress, but my arms held her with ease to keep her from falling too hard on her stomach on me. Even with being pregnant, she was still light and easy for me to carry, and for some reason, that turned me on. The fact that I could just pin her down and have my way—_Oh, God, smite me right here. Strike me down._

I could have easily gotten out of this, but I wasn't moving. I wanted to move, but I couldn't. As Kairi continued to kiss my neck, chills running up and down my spine, I was finding less and less reasons to stop her. Her soft, slender hand reached under my shirt and massaged my chest gently. I shivered involuntarily as goosebumps prickled all over my body.

"I know you want me, Ven," she murmured coyly, her knee sliding along the outside of my thigh as she relaxed on top of me. "Stop denying it all the time…"

I couldn't even speak. I just gazed up at her, my azure eyes studying her face. She normally looked pretty to me, but right now, she just seemed _gorgeous_. Her lips were pouty, puffy from kissing me. Her long, black lashes seemed to drag with each blink as her lidded eyes showed me everything she was thinking about.

I wanted her too…

Kairi's hand slowly, ever-so-slowly, trailed downward. She went for the button on my pants, and that was it. I had to stop her, or else everything was going to go fall apart.

"Stop!" I gasped out, grabbing her hand to halt her. My heart beat faster than it ever had before as I struggled not to go back to kissing her.

I got off of the bed, took a deep, shuddering breath, and stood there with my back turned and hands on my hips. I closed my eyes and counted backwards. I needed to calm myself or regain my composure. _Something_. It just wasn't right. It didn't _feel _right. I liked her a lot, but something was holding me back.

I heard the bed creak slightly as she sat up.

"I love you, Ven," she said sadly. "I want you to love me too…"

I froze and stopped breathing for a second. She may have told me this before, but hearing it once again was like ice shattering all around me. Still, it left my heart pounding.

I couldn't tell if she was desperate for my attention, and I was falling for it... Or if I loved her, too…

I was terrified.

Kairi got off the bed and walked toward me once again, but this time she wasn't trying too hard to seduce me. Instead, she had almost an innocent look about her as she pouted her lips at me. Wrapping her arms around my neck once again, she didn't even kiss me this time.

Before she could do anything, I said, "There are many other ways to show someone that you love them…" I turned around and held her hands in mine, pulling them away from me and clasping them together.

Pulling out of my grasp, Kairi looked directly into my anxious eyes with a confused yet excited expression. "So… You _do _love me?"

I was in panic mode now. Full blown panic mode.

I hadn't realized the implications of what I had just said until she pointed that out, but I knew that deep down it wasn't what I'd meant. I didn't know how to love someone. I mean, we just barely started dating. Yeah, we may have skipped all of the steps to get to that point, since we're having a baby and all… but these things took time, didn't they?!

How could I tell her that without her exploding with anger or self-hatred again?

"I bought this lingerie just for you," Kairi teased suddenly, throwing me off guard once again. "Don't you like it?"

I couldn't say a word. I was still reeling from everything that was going on, and her sudden change of subject matter had thrown me off.

"Oh, so you hate it? You think I'm just a whore, don't you? I bet you do!" she shrieked suddenly, her eyes glittering with tears.

Alarmed at the thought of her crying because of me, I reached for her. Then, I thought of Lilah trying to sleep. I hissed as gently as I could, "Kairi, please don't yell!"

Kairi dissolved into tears that shook her whole body. She buried her face in her hands to hide it from me. "I dressed all sexy for you and what do you do? You turn me away! You're so disgusted! You can't even look at me!" she wailed.

"I haven't stopped looking at you!" I tried to assure her, desperately gazing toward the closed bedroom door. "Kairi, _please_ be quiet!"

"No!" she snapped, showing me her face shining with emotion and tears. "If you don't love me, then there's no point! I shouldn't even stay here anymore!"

Kairi rushed toward the door and for some reason, I felt myself take a step forward…

I didn't want to be alone again…

"You are _not _leaving," I growled, pushing the door shut just as she opened it. There was a split second of heavy silence while my chest heaved angrily and Kairi trembled in front of me. She turned around slowly and as she did, I caught her chin in my hand. My mind was screaming at me to stop, but I was past that now. I was just over it. I was tired of being sad and alone. I was tired of denying my feelings. I was _tired _of all the _drama_.

I just wanted to forget everything and remain in this moment.

"V-Ventus," she whispered and for some reason, the sound of the innocent fear in her quavering voice undid me at the seams.

I swooped downward to engage her in the most passionate kiss I'd ever given in my entire life. She moaned in the back of her throat almost immediately, melting into my arms as I tilted my head to intensify it. One of my hands cupped the side of her throat, fingers tangling into her hairs, and the other hand grabbed her hip and pulled her even closer. My mind went completely blank and devoid of anything not related to Kairi the moment she kissed me back, and that was it.

As I pushed her over to my bed, she opened her mouth to speak. Her eyes sparkled, and she was fully anticipating what I was going to do to her. Honestly, I didn't even know what I was doing anymore, but going with the flow seemed to be someone I had perfected over the past few months.

"Hush," I growled, clambering on top of her while being mindful of her swollen belly. I leaned down to kiss her throat, and she cried out when I scraped my teeth lightly against her flesh. She arched her back up to my chest and tried to put her hands in my ruffled hair, but I grabbed her wrists and pinned them down onto the mattress.

I had control.

Perhaps this was payback for that night, the night she'd taken advantage of me when I was drunk. Perhaps this was because I really wanted her. In any case, there really was no going back now.

The lion was out of its cage, and it was ready to play.

Kairi let out a tiny mewl of shock and bliss when I kissed a hot path down her throat and along the creamy white skin on her shoulder, leaving little love bites as I went along. I could feel her hands twisting beneath mine, but I didn't let her go. I was tired of her always calling all the shots.

It was my turn now.

I moved my lips back to hers and we kissed again, this time with more fervor than the last time and Kairi was like putty beneath my hands. Placing one hand on the mattress by her head, I palmed one of her tender breasts with the other hand and curved my tongue along the swell of her ear simultaneously. She stifled a moan by biting one of her knuckles and it nearly made me lose my mind. Just the sound of her being _quiet _for once, the only sounds she made being because _I _made her make them . . .

Shit.

I moved my hands downward, continuing to kiss her throat and ear, intending entirely to touch her in a place I hadn't touched on anyone in years, but the second I did, her eyes flew open and it was like she woke up.

Before I could realize what had happened, she had flipped us over and her hand was down the front of my jeans. My eyes rolled back into my head when she bit down on my ear and wrapped her slim fingers around the length of me. I couldn't even grasp at any thoughts right now. I was completely gone.

Still, Kairi said nothing. The look on her face was completely innocent as she moved her hand on me, bringing me up the side of a mountain I hadn't climbed in so, _so _fucking long. She was biting her lip and her hair was a mess, her bangs falling across her eyes and her rosy red cheeks. Her eyes were shining so brightly in the darkness of the room, but it wasn't long before she picked up the pace and my eyes fell shut, my head falling back.

"Do you like that, Ven?" Kairi murmured sweetly, her perfect lips curving upward slightly. "Mmm, I just want you to feel good. Doesn't that feel _good_?"

Every time I tried to think of something to say or do, it was lost on me. It was like the letters were floating past my eyes, tumbling just out of my grasp. It just felt so deliciously _wrong _and _good _at the same time, and it seemed like the only words I had in my vocabulary at the moment were "Kairi" and "Fuck", two words that I generally tried to avoid up until this point, regrettably. I had one arm wrapped around her and tangled in her hair as my hips rose to meet her carefully timed pumps, my face buried in her throat as I groaned. The other hand could only grip the sheets tightly, waiting for me to reach my peak.

And reach it I did. Kairi leaned up against me and moved her hand so fast that I lost my breath and leaned down to run her tongue up the entire side of my throat. Then, she said the words that threw open the latch and completely disintegrated me.

"I want you to cum, Ven," she moaned into my ear. "_Now_."

"F-Fuck," I said, my eyes shutting tightly.

My entire body shuddered and all of the pleasure that had been building up within me was released at once. I couldn't stop myself from groaning loudly against the nook where the base of her throat met her shoulder, pulling so hard on her hair that she laughed seductively when I did so. I whimpered as I came shuddering into her hand and in my pants, feeling as well as knowing that it truly had been years since I'd felt this way. I laid there for a moment, breathing in the natural scent of her body as I struggled to fight of the inevitable sleepiness that overcame me as soon as the waves of pleasure ebbed away.

And then like a dream shattering with the morning light, I heard the door crack open. Kairi nearly fell off the bed, leaving me to fend for myself.

"What the hell?" Vanitas' ever so gallant voice appeared, and I suddenly realized that this was very, very awkward. Reaching desperately for a pillow, I covered my exposed self, mentally noting to wash this pillowcase at least twice. Before I could react, Kairi suddenly ran toward the bathroom and slammed the door shut. Baffled, Vanitas remained in the doorway.

Why couldn't he take a hint?!

I sat up; my face red with utter embarrassment as we both listened to the sounds of Kairi hurling.

This caused Vanitas to bust out laughing, probably waking up Lilah in the process.

Oh, _God_. Lilah was in the next room. I felt _really_ gross now.

"Damn! Is this what you two do when you're supposed to be babysitting?" Vanitas could hardly compose himself.

"Shut up, Van!" Kairi yelled from behind the bathroom door. Just then, Lilah appeared behind her father. I zipped my pants and sat up, still keeping the pillow in place. He was definitely going to hold this over my head for years to come.

"They've been making loud noises all night! I can't sleep and I want to go home!"

"Alright, baby girl, we're going," Vanitas said, stumbling into the hallway. "Hey, Ven, next time, lock the door at least!"

Vanitas took Lilah and left, continuing to laugh his ass off all the way out the door.

Fuck my life.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** Um. Anyway, please review. I will probably have a new chapter for you next week when I get internet in the apartment!

Also, thanks so much to **Princess-Xion **for helping me with the majority of this chapter. That girl is the freaking best. Check her out!


	24. Twenty Four

o-o-o

**Twenty Four.**

o-o-o

Lying in bed after the fact was a little awkward.

"He's going to tease me about that for years."

"If you think about it, it _is_ pretty funny," Kairi said, resting her head on my chest. I sort of took her pillow to cover myself, so I didn't mind. I kissed her forehead before shutting my eyes. A smirk formed and I ended up laughing it off as well.

"Yeah, I guess so."

We lay there for a little bit, drifting in and out of sleep. I enjoyed the quiet time, and after what we just did, it definitely felt pretty nice. Adjusting my position a little, I looked down at her and sighed.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"I'm just thinking about what you said."

"What I said?"

"Yeah, that you… love me."

"Yeah, what about it?" She asked sweetly.

"I'm not doubting it, but even after everything that has happened, honestly, I'm still not sure. Please don't take it the wrong way."

"I see it in your eyes, Ven. You do."

"What?"

Kairi shook her head and just lay there with a smile stretched across her face, ultimately causing me to do the same. I didn't know how much truth there was to that statement, but it wasn't like I was denying it, either. I hadn't felt this close to someone in such a long time, and I never imagined that person to be someone like Kairi.

Feeling her warm body next to mine gave me a sense of wholeness that I couldn't quite explain, but it was similar to the one I felt when Namine was around. Different, but similar. I realized that I was always going to be comparing to Namine, but I knew that angels came in different disguises.

Maybe this _is _love. I don't know.

"Are you awake?"

"Yeah," Kairi mumbled, shifting a little.

"I just wanted to say that I think you're beautiful. Goodnight."

Kairi chuckled. "Aww, thank you. Goodnight."

o-o-o

The next morning, I woke up to the smell of something burning. Rushing into the kitchen, I realized Kairi had the stove on, and the bacon inside was burnt to a crisp. She gave me an apologetic look.

"I just wanted to make something for you."

"Aww, that's sweet," I said, wrapping my arms around her from behind and nuzzling her neck, but also checking to make sure that the stove was off. Kairi's eyes traveled down to her belly, where she grunted a little.

"He's been moving around a lot. It's starting to annoy me."

"Means he's ready to come out,' I teased, kissing her cheek before letting go. We only had about two months until our due date, and I was really starting to get nervous. We had barely set up the nursery, and we had yet to get a crib. After letting Caesar out, I came back over to her. She was leaning against the counter, taking a few deep breaths.

"He's going to be really active. We're not going to get any sleep."

"I was like that when I was a kid," I admitted. Kairi pouted as she moved across the room.

"I keep getting this tightness in my abdomen. It feels like cramps," Kairi whined.

"Maybe you should lay down."

"Nah, I would rather do something productive."

"Fair enough, but I hope you're okay."

"Hey, do you mind if I take your car for a bit? I want to go to the store and get something else that I can make you for breakfast, but I want it to be a surprise."

"Take my car?" I asked, a little weary about her question. The only other person that has driven my car was Vanitas, and I wasn't even sure if Kairi had a license.

"Please, Ven? I don't want to walk and I want to make something really delicious for you," Kairi begged, straightening the collar on my button up shirt. "You're really special to me and I want you to be happy."

Was I actually considering it?

"May I borrow twenty bucks, too?"

"Oh, okay," I said, laughing. Reaching into my wallet, I pulled out a twenty and gave it to her. Handing my keys over, she jumped for joy and hugged me before hurrying off to get dressed.

"Please be careful with my car," I called to her. "Also, I need to check your license."

"Of course I will, and I have one, silly! Don't worry!" Kairi said as she went out the door. I chuckled and looked around for something to do while she was gone. I guess I wasn't too worried about her using my car, as long as it came back in one piece. The convenience store was about five minutes down the road, anyway.

I ended up throwing the burnt bacon away and washing the dishes. It was really nice of her to want to make me breakfast again, and I was starting to get used to the fact that this may happen a lot more often. Smiling to myself as I set the pan in the strainer, I stalled for a moment, letting the water run as I got lost in my thoughts.

Up until now, I've only pictured Namine in the pink apron, tossing pancakes over the stove and grinning back at me. Kairi had replaced that image, and although it was a little frightening, I actually liked it.

Whoa, I needed to calm down.

It was a guilty little pleasure of mine. I didn't care too much for stereotypes, of course, but seeing Kairi cooking in a pink apron was pretty hot… especially if that was _all _she was wearing.

Shit.

As I was drying my hands, I got a call on my cell phone from my brother. _Of course_ he would call.

He always knew how to ruin the moment.

"Hey."

"Yo, did Lilah leave her bear over there? She's been crying about it all fucking morning and it's really pissing me off."

"I can check and call you back," I said, hanging up the phone. I looked upstairs first, but it wasn't there. It wasn't behind the living room couches, in my room, or in the kitchen or anywhere. Finally, I checked where she slept. The dark brown bear had its foot sticking out from under the bed. Upon pulling it out, I noticed something else underneath there. It was a navy folder that I didn't recognize, so I took it out and opened it.

"What the hell?"

Much to my surprise, it contained copies of all my previous answer sheets to quizzes, homework and basically every assignment that I did that semester…

Had Kairi gotten a hold of these? Was this why she had nearly perfect scores?

Alarmed, I had to get to the bottom of this. Waiting for Kairi to come back felt like forever as I held this folder in my possession. I texted Vanitas and told him I had the bear and that I would drop it off later before work. As soon as Kairi walked in the door, grocery bags in hand, I showed the folder to her.

"What is that?" She asked apprehensively as she handed my keys back.

"You tell me."

"I've never seen it before," she said, hurrying past me. She was being a little suspicious, so I followed.

"Have you been cheating all semester, Kairi?" My tone rose more than I meant for it to, but I was getting furious. To me, this was pretty serious.

"No!" Kairi yelled, placing the bags on the counter and rushing out of the kitchen, presumably to avoid confrontation.

That was new.

"Don't walk away from me. I want the truth, right now. Why were these under your bed? How did you get them?" I held the folder up.

"I told you, I don't know what you're talking about! Why would you accuse me of such a thing?!"

"It's kind of hard to deny what's right in front of me. Does this mean you went through my stuff too?"

"I don't know why you would leave that lying around," Kairi huffed, standing in the middle of the hallway. "Besides, I didn't live with you the entire semester."

"That doesn't mean you still didn't cheat. This is really disappointing, Kairi. I actually thought you had some potential." I walked past her and shut my bedroom door in her face. I couldn't believe that she would do something like this.

"You're not getting any breakfast!"

"I'll cook something better," I hissed, making sure to lock my door. Sitting on my bed, I went through the pages, one by one. This was absolutely appalling. I really hated people that plagiarized work and didn't try hard in school. I listened as Kairi ranted from the hallway, saying how innocent she was and whatnot, but it all sounded like noise. After setting the folder aside, I calmed down some.

Was I overreacting?

Of course I wasn't. If Kairi had used these the entire semester, then she even had me fooled.

And here I thought that she was actually smart. Instead, she's been copying the answers the entire time…

…I almost wondered what else she was lying about.

Emerging from my bedroom, I found Kairi by herself at the kitchen table, texting away on her phone. I paid her no mind as I rummaged through the fridge and found myself something to eat. Her grocery bags were still on the counter.

"Are you going to just leave these here?"

"You think I'm a cheater," she answered immediately, not looking away from her phone. Who in the world would she be talking to? She said herself that she didn't have any friends.

"Well, what am I supposed to think, Kairi?"

"You're supposed to trust me. You made me feel really bad just now. All I wanted to do was make you a nice meal, and you had to ruin it with these stupid claims."

I ended up putting the groceries away. "Nobody else lives here but you and me. You got nearly perfect scores all the time. I'm sorry, but it just doesn't make much sense as to why all of the answers would be right under the bed that you used to sleep in."

"I'm not a cheater!" She yelled, throwing me off guard a little. "I earned my way through high school and college up until I quit. I studied all the time! I don't need copies of the answers. I don't know how they got there, but I never cheated!"

I watched her for a moment, still unsure on whether I should believe her or not.

Hold on.

"How did you know that they were copies?"

She froze in place, then shook her head quickly. "I thought you were smarter than that, Ven. I would never do something that stupid. I like to work for what I want. Sora could have planted those there when he came in the house."

This wasn't really making sense, but for some reason, I was starting to believe her…

Sighing, I leaned against the counter and folded my arms.

"I'm sorry."

Kairi got up and came over to me. "So, do you still think I cheated on my assignments?"

"I hope not," I answered, unable to look her in the eye. Kairi kissed my cheek before parting from me.

"Ven, I didn't. I swear. Please don't be mad at me…"

"I might be for a while."

"I can fix it…" Kairi smirked, trailing her finger up and down my chest, but I didn't give in. Walking past her, I went back to my room and proceeded to ignore her for the majority of the day.

o-o-o

My job as a full-time lifeguard was going alright. Toward the end of September, the beaches weren't too busy due to everyone being back in school, and I was already feeling nostalgic. Even though my paycheck was bigger, it kind of felt like I was just coming to work and going home. At the University, it didn't feel like a job.

Oh well. It was my decision.

I kept having to do little things here and there all day, such as pick up random trash, check on lifeguards, and make sure all children were being supervised by a parent or guardian. I haven't had to do any rescues all week, and I was getting really bored. I thought I would be doing a lot more as a permanent, but all I did was watch over others, it seemed.

I wondered what Kairi did when I was at work. I had come to somehow believe her about not copying answers, and I wasn't sure why. It was like my mind kept telling me how great she was and that she would never do such a thing.

In other words, I was hopelessly in denial. For once, I wanted things to go right.

I had to believe in _something_, didn't I?

I spent a lot of time with Tidus, the Captain. Captains were like the rank above mine, and he was teaching me a lot of things that I never learned when I was just a temp, even though I had worked here for half of my life. Standing on the peer with him and his fiancé, Yuna, we took a short break before going back to our stations.

"Ventus, did I tell you? Tidus and I just got our first house!"

"Oh, really? That's cool."

"Yeah, have you heard of Hikari Real Estate?" Tidus asked.

"Actually, I have," I said, not too pleased to be reminded of Kairi's father.

"If you ever decide to get a new house or live in an apartment, you should go to them," Yuna suggested. "Mr. Hikari is very accommodating and even lowered the price on the home."

"I see. So, he's a nice guy, huh?"

Either Mr. Hikari was just a master conman, or he really was a decent person. I wasn't sure at this point.

I also didn't know why I never thought to research his business.

"Where is the main office located?"

"Over on Pleasant View Avenue," Tidus responded.

Maybe I needed to go and check this place out. After work was done, I decided to make my way over there. I wanted to get to the bottom of this. Something didn't feel quite right, but I didn't really know what. I've only met the man twice, but each time, he's either been oblivious or sketchy. I could understand why he didn't really trust me the first time he saw me, considering that I was an unknown person taking his daughter somewhere, but then, I was under the impression that he was nothing but a monster that needed to be locked away.

Now, I wasn't so sure anymore. Maybe I needed to go in and talk to him myself…

Hikari Real Estate was situated at the very end of the street. It was a small, one-story brick building with colorful flowers all around it. Parking around the side, I got out of my car and went around to the front, however, I stopped midway when I heard a familiar voice.

"Thank you for coming out. Let me know if you want those keys to the apartment!"

…Sora?

The couple bowed to him and started walking in my direction. Sora spotted me right away. He was in business attire, and seemed just as surprised to see me as I was to see him.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in jail!"

The couple looked back upon hearing this, a little alarmed at my sudden outburst, but I didn't care. Sora avoided eye contact as he tried to hurry back toward the door, but I wasn't going to let him get away.

"Tell me what you're doing here, now."

"I… work here."

I watched Sora carefully. He had that look of remorse as he placed some keys into his pocket.

"Hold on, you have some explaining to do."

Sora stood in front of the door, meticulously planning his next move. I continued to step forward, my gaze unfaltering.

He turned his head slightly. "I was bailed out a month ago."

"By who?"

"Mr. Hikari."

I was stunned. Not only was it baffling enough that he worked under a man that apparently hated him, now that guy was the one that got him out? Just _who _was Mr. Hikari?

"Why would he do that?" I asked, even though I probably didn't have to.

"Listen, there are some things that you don't know," Sora said, facing me. "I think we should talk, but not now. I have to finish up my work."

"Talk about what?"

Sora shook his head, pursing his lips together as he held his head down in shame. Was he just messing with me right now or did he really feel bad? I waited for an explanation, but it never came. He shut the door and locked it behind him, changing the "open" sign to "closed."

Fine, I'll wait.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N: **I'm sorry that this chapter is shorter, but there is seriously nothing else that I can add and I don't want to drag anything out that doesn't need to be. No worries, the last six chapters will definitely be longer! Still, make sure to leave a review. I really like those and it makes writing this a lot more fun.

Also, please don't ask me to update another story when you don't say anything about the one you're reviewing. It bothers me.

Ciao!


	25. Twenty Five

o-o-o

**Twenty Five.**

o-o-o

Sora came out fifteen minutes later, briefcase in hand as he locked the place up and made his way to his car. He acknowledged my presence with a short sigh, proceeding to place his briefcase into the backseat before turning back to me.

"Listen, about everything I've done… I'm terribly sorry. I don't think you'll forgive me, but I truly regret it. I made empty threats because I thought I was in love, and I even trespassed and burned some sentimental things to you."

"You also hit my car, and tried to run me over. Those damages weren't cheap to fix."

"I'm sorry for that too, but actually, it was Riku that hit you."

"Figures. Where is he?"

"Mr. Hikari bailed him out too, at my request. He hasn't talked to me lately, though."

Crossing my arms, I leaned against my car and tried to piece all of this together, but it still wasn't making much sense. "Why would he bail you out?"

Sora shrugged. "He wanted to know where his daughter was, and I wanted to get out of jail. Once I realized that he wasn't the bad guy, I was able to trust him and tell him where Kairi was staying."

So _that _was why he knew where I lived. But how did he come to trust him?

"He came to my house," I informed him.

"Naturally. Look, I advise that you stay away from Kairi. She's… not a good person."

"You're one to talk. Where did you come up with that conclusion?"

"Mr. Hikari told me a lot of things on the way home from jail. I also met her mother, someone that was apparently non-existent since her teenage years. She works as a nurse down at the memorial hospital. Go see for yourself."

"What did he tell you?"

"I can't say right now."

I hesitated for a moment, still attempting to understand. "So, why would you work for her father?"

"He offered me a job because he pitied me, I guess. I wanted to get my life on track. All of those things I did to you… I feel really bad for them. I wasn't myself."

Recalling the story Kairi told me about the fight that Sora got into with her father, seeing everything for what it was now made that seem like a lie. Why would Mr. Hikari hire someone that previously tried to kill him?

Gah, this was so confusing…

"Did you ever burn down Mr. Hikari's office?" I asked, assuming that he didn't because the building was made up of fairly old architecture. Sora gave me an odd look.

"No, did Kairi tell you that?"

I nodded, but stayed quiet. First, Mr. Hikari was oblivious to my allegations, and now Sora was too?

Something wasn't right…

"Mr. Ishida, I know it's hard to believe me, especially after everything that I've done, but I think Kairi is doing the same thing to you that she did to me."

I eyed him for a moment. "And what is that?"

"She's using you for her own personal gain," he said as he opened his car door, but I was too astounded to stop him.

All of this new information was baffling to say the least. Kairi? Using me? For what? Before I could ask him anymore questions, Sora got into his car and drove off.

I guess I needed to go straight to the source. All of these accusations were floating around, getting jumbled in my head, and it was only confusing me more and driving me crazy. I really didn't think that Kairi was a liar…

Maybe I just didn't _want _to think that…

I had been through so much with this girl in such a short amount of time. I could honestly say that I really, _really_ cared about her, and that I didn't want to lose her. Kairi made me happy, even if we did fight more than I was comfortable with. I _wanted_ to believe in her. I wanted her to be with me, and for us to live a good life with our child…

Damn it. I really needed to see her now…

Making my way back home, the thoughts lingered. What if everything Sora was saying was true? What if Mr. Hikari was a good person, and everything up until this point was a lie? Also, who was her mother? Didn't she leave her?

The details weren't adding up…

Kairi and Caesar were outside when I got home. Caesar noticed me right away and came running, while Kairi remained on the front step as she smiled and waved over at me.

She _couldn't_ have been lying. She loved me. Just _look_ at her. She lit up at the sight of me…

"How was work?" Kairi asked, nearly losing her balance as she got up and held onto her belly.

"Kairi, tell me something right now," I said, sounding more desperate than I meant to be. She blinked a few times as she looked up at me. "Tell me that I'm not crazy, and that loving you is perfectly okay, because you've been completely truthful and you love me just as much…"

Her mouth gaped open, and I realized that I basically just confessed to her. I could hardly breathe upon waiting for her response, and I just wanted to hear those words once again.

"Ven, you really do love me?"

"You were right, I guess…" I said, chuckling a little as I pulled her in for a hug. "I can trust you, can't I?"

"Where is this coming from?" Kairi asked, a little wary. I didn't want to get her all worked up about Sora, so I didn't mention him this time. Instead, I just shook my head and kissed her.

"I missed you a lot today. That's all."

"You could have texted… or called. Silly."

"I know, but it's not the same as being here with you right now."

"Geeze, you're such a sap," Kairi said, giggling as she held onto me. "I love you."

Smiling, I ran my fingers through her hair as I took a few steady breaths. Just like before, I wasn't going to let Sora get to me. I would not be taken for a fool.

"I… love you, too."

o-o-o

Now that we were in the last month of pregnancy, prenatal visits were set up every week up until delivery. I made sure to make it to each and every one of these, because I _wanted _to be there. Kairi and I had not fought for an entire week, and life was absolutely perfect right now.

I think that was a new record.

Waiting in Dr. Gainsborough's office, Kairi leaned her head on my shoulder.

"I can't believe that I'm having a baby next month. I think this is week 37?"

"Yeah, he'll will be arriving any time now," I responded, rubbing her back. A few minutes later, Dr. Gainsborough entered the room. She shook both of our hands before sitting down in front of the computer and typing some things out.

"Kairi, how have you been feeling? I bet you can't wait for this little sucker to be born."

"Yeah. He's been kicking and punching me a lot. I'm also hungry all the time. Is that normal?"

"Certainly. Remember, these last few weeks may be some of the hardest, and that's mainly because you anxieties and mixed emotions up until delivery. Just breathe and remember, every worry you have will dissolve the moment you hold him in your arms. Have you been stressed at all?"

Kairi looked to me and smiled before shaking her head back at the doctor. A tint of red appeared in my cheeks.

"Great. Keep that positive outlook and things should go fine. Can you lay on the table for me? I'm going to do a few physical exams."

As Dr. Gainsborough ran her normal procedures, I held onto Kairi's hand and tried to give her as much support as I could. I couldn't even imagine what things would be like once her water breaks, so for now, all I could do was be right by her side.

"Your baby is a normal size for this point in the pregnancy, and everything should be going according to plan. Get lots and lots of rest, but also make sure to get a healthy amount of exercise. By now, you should have your hospital bag packed for when the time comes, and just make sure to not stress over the little things. From what I can see, everything is going quite well and you've taken splendid care of him inside the womb."

"Really? Thank you," Kairi said as she sat up.

Dr. Gainsborough explained a few more things to Kairi before leaving. After the appointment was over, I went to the administration desk to check out. The bill for the visit was quite high, but thankfully, I would be able to cover it since I got this new job. Still, it was a strain on my finances, so I had to be careful. My insurance was pretty decent, I thought, but it didn't cover everything. Kairi came out of the bathroom and locked arms with me.

"Ven, I'm hungry."

"You ate before we came."

"Did you not hear me? This baby makes me eat more. Please, can we just go and get some lunch?" She pouted, clinging to my arm.

"Do you mind if I invite Vanitas and Lilah?"

"I don't care. I just want to eat something."

o-o-o

My brother and niece met us at a barbeque restaurant about thirty minutes later. I probably should have considered my choices a little better, because now I was expected to pay for everyone.

This was right after I had decided to be a little more careful with my money. Good job.

Oh well. I get paid next week.

"I want the double Angus burger!" Kairi told the waitress cheerfully. I knew right away that she would not be able to finish that. After we all put in our orders, I sipped on my water as Lilah colored a picture.

"Damn, Kairi. Every time I see you, your belly gets bigger," Vanitas said. "No offense."

"Yeah, well, we're pretty close to the due date."

"Have you thought of a name yet?"

We both shook our heads. "We can't decide."

"You should name him Logan!" Lilah suggested, waving her orange crayon in the air.

"That's too common," Kairi shot down.

"But Logan is the name of my crush at daycare!"

"Crush? What is this about? Are you talking to boys?" Vanitas scolded. We laughed.

"Yeah, he shares his lunchables with me!"

"I'm not letting you share spit with some boy. I'm going up there first thing tomorrow to tell those stupid daycare ladies a thing or two," Vanitas grumbled.

"Come on, Van. It's harmless," I pointed out, still finding amusement in his disapproval. The funny thing was, I would probably be the same way. After he got over his little temper, he straightened up and looked back to us.

"Anyway, how about… Roger?"

Kairi's face scrunched and I just shook my head.

"Zen?"

"Nah," I countered.

"Oh! Name him Samuel!" Lilah called out. "That's my other crush. He gives me his toys!"

Vanitas grunted once more.

"I like the name Shuhei," Kairi chimed in, looking to me as if she was waiting for approval. I shrugged and thought about it for a moment.

"I like that, but I like Ryohei more."

"Ryo…" Kairi leaned her head on her hand as she considered it. Vanitas watched as we both tried to make a decision.

"Yeah, I like Ryo. I think it's a badass name."

"Ryo and I will be best buddies!" Lilah exclaimed, setting her crayon on the table.

"Well, I guess it's decided, then," I said, exchanging positive glances with her. Kairi placed both hands on her belly and rubbed it.

"What do you think of Ryo? Do you like that name?" She asked as she continued to rub. Suddenly, she flinched.

"What?" I asked.

"He kicked me. I think he likes—" She was cut off as she winced again.

"Ryohei Ishida," Vanitas finalized. My nerves surfaced, but also, it was getting harder to contain my excitement. Choosing a name seemed a lot more official, and I could only anticipate that when the day came, I would be more prepared. I didn't want to spend the first few hours of his life trying to name him, so I was glad that we finally came to a mutual decision.

Little Ryo. I like that.

o-o-o

Vanitas invited us to the house for a little bit. Kairi reluctantly agreed, but came anyway. I assured her that we wouldn't stay too long. Both of my parents were home for once, and I wasn't really sure how all of this would go with them and Kairi.

My dad sat in his recliner, watching TV here and there as he read his newspaper. He always did this in the middle of the day for some reason if he was home. My mom was dusting around the house.

"Anything I can help you with?" I asked just to ease the tension. My mom was about to refuse, but then Lilah jumped in.

"I want to dust, grandma!"

I couldn't argue with her offer, so I just followed Vanitas and Kairi into the living room. Kairi sat rather close to me on the couch, taking a few deep breaths as she sat down.

"Are you alright?" Vanitas asked as he seated himself on the couch across from us. My dad glanced up from his newspaper.

"Yeah. Breathing is a little easier this month, but every now and then, I still get shortness of breath."

"Delilah had the same problems."

"Have you heard from her lately?" My dad asked.

"I heard that she moved back to the islands, but I don't know where. She definitely hasn't tried to contact me or see her daughter. I don't think I would let her, anyway."

My dad set his newspaper aside and looked to Kairi and me.

"I hope you two can work things out and take care of this child together. Be adults, and do what you have to do. I don't think I have to remind you, Ven, but the child comes first."

"I know," I said, a little thrown off by the random advice. Vanitas rolled his eyes and focused on the TV. Just then, my mother and Lilah came into the room and sat down. Lilah pulled out her blocks on the floor and started arranging them. She was being quieter than usual.

My mom eyed Kairi a little more than she was comfortable with.

"So, are you guys ready for this baby?" She asked. It seemed like everyone was asking that question.

"More or less," I responded.

"Hey, why didn't you guys have a baby shower?" Vanitas questioned.

"Yeah, why didn't we?" I said, as if it was the most obvious thing ever, but the look on Kairi's face made me realize why. She didn't think that anyone would come.

"Ven, I'm starting to hurt," Kairi told me, but I think it was just a plea to get out of this situation, so we took our leave. I helped Kairi into the car and then went around to my side.

I could hardly wait for this baby to be born. After everything that has happened up to this point, my optimism had only grown stronger, but I also believed that I had gotten stronger over these past few months, as weird as that seemed. I was happier than I had been in years, and even a little change here and there didn't scare me as much as it used to.

I had fallen in love once again, something that I previously didn't think was even remotely possible. Yeah, I may have told myself that I would eventually, but deep down, I didn't believe it until Kairi and I got closer.

Intertwining my fingers with hers, I held on tightly as I focused on the road with a huge grin on my face. My mom was just going to have to accept that Kairi would be part of my life from here on out, and maybe someday she'll be able to trust her. Vanitas and my dad were already on her side, and I was glad for that.

But as smitten as I was, I still couldn't deny that there were times where we didn't get along. Every couple had its challenges, and I knew that Kairi wasn't the best when it came to compromising or letting things go. I'll admit, she made me angrier at times than I had ever been, and I normally would just let things pan out and cool down rather than fighting about it.

Love makes you do things you never thought you would otherwise.

In order to be absolutely sure that I was sitting next to a person that I could trust, there was just one more thing that I had to do. Even though I didn't _want _to believe what Sora said two weeks ago, it still lingered on my mind. I had originally gone there to talk with her father, and I still wanted to do that.

I've had a chance to calm down and rationalize everything.

As soon as we got home that afternoon, Kairi went straight to the bathroom, so I saw it as a window of opportunity to make a phone call to his office. I went out into the backyard and dialed the number.

"Thank you for calling Hikari Real Estate, this is Sora! How may I help you?"

"Sora, it's me. Is Mr. Hikari around?"

I had to do this for my own sake. I had to make sure that Kairi was telling the truth and that I didn't have anything to worry about. I wanted to be able to love her, but I couldn't fully do so while I had all of this on my mind.

"Um, he just went home…" Sora responded, sounding just as suspicious as he did that day. "Do you want me to call him and let him know?"

"Nah, I'll just go by his house."

With that, I hung up and got ready to leave.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** So, you get a new chapter early because I was done with it and cats decided to pee on things that they should not have, so I had to come back to my parent's house to wash things. I feel so gross.

I get internet on Tuesday!

Does anyone have a cat or two? My boyfriend and I have three (one is mine).

Please leave a review. Things are gonna get intense, folks. Thanks to all those that suggested names for the baby! **Snow x fairy **wins this one!

Also, go to facebook and like Princess-Xion's Decoden Page! Just type facebook and then "kingdomheartsdecoden" in the URL!


	26. Twenty Six

**A/N:** DOUBLE UPDATE BECAUSE I'M EXCITED! Then I really need to go to work. Oops

Just imagine the ever-so-wonderful Zachary Quinto as Kairi's dad. Kthxbai.

o-o-o

**Twenty Six.**

o-o-o

I took my handgun just in case.

"Ven, where are you going?" Kairi asked as she came out of the bathroom.

"I have a few errands to run. You should stay here and get some rest like the doctor said," I suggested, kissing her forehead before she could respond and making sure to keep my gun tucked away where she couldn't see. Kairi was a little apprehensive because I was leaving so suddenly, but thankfully, she didn't argue. I pat Caesar a few times on the head on the way out.

I was surprised how easily I remembered the address. Once I've driven or walked somewhere, I automatically knew how to get back no matter how long it has been. I was pretty visual, but it took me a while to memorize street names. I parked on the side of the road. Mr. Hikari's car was in the driveway, and all of the bushes looked as if they had recently been given water.

My nerves were getting the better of me. Was this really a good idea?

I couldn't help but notice how peaceful this neighborhood seemed. Going up the concrete steps, I stood in front of the red door and hesitated before ringing the doorbell. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Keeping one hand on my belt, I shakily pressed it and waited for a response.

A few minutes later, Mr. Hikari opened the door. He looked as if he had just stepped out of the shower.

"Hi, uh, could we talk? Man to man," I said, trying my hardest not to show fear. Without a word, Mr. Hikari let me inside.

"Excuse me while I retrieve my glasses. Please, sit down," he said as he walked out of the room. I stared at his black, leather couch for a moment, debating on whether or not to take his casual invitation. I didn't come here to cause any trouble, so I finally obliged just before entered the room once again. His hair was combed back now, and he looked a lot more presentable. He sat across from me, one leg crossed over the other as he clasped his hands together.

"Sora told me you would be coming."

"I figured as much. Listen, I don't really know how to say or do this, but I came here to get some answers. I thought that maybe you could help me."

Again, no problems, no worries.

"I'm all ears."

He was just as mysterious as before, but this time, he didn't have that skeptical look about him. He seemed genuinely curious in what I had to say, and he was calm as ever. It was getting harder and harder to believe that this man could hurt someone, but I didn't want to let my guard down. Psychopaths were generally masters when it came to social interaction and going unsuspected, so I made sure to watch him carefully as I gathered my words.

"First of all, I'm pretty sure that you know who I am by now. My name is not Hayner, and I'm not just some friend of Kairi's."

"Sora told me."

I looked up. "What did he say, exactly? If you don't mind me asking."

Just the sight of this man repulsed me. It was hard to keep a straight face.

"He told me that you were a well-respected teacher, and that due to a little mishap, my daughter became pregnant. I was not too pleased to hear about this, but it seems like she's in good hands."

For a moment, I thought that he was getting upset, but he remained in his chair, calm as can be.

"Kairi needs someone that can handle her temperaments. How has she been?"

Not really wanting to reveal much about mine and Kairi's life together, I shrugged. "She's doing alright." I looked down, pausing for a moment. "I just wanted you to know, I really don't like you. From what I've heard, you've done some pretty unforgiveable things."

If I didn't get too worked up, maybe he wouldn't either.

"Sora felt the same way. It seems like there are some misunderstandings on my behalf; allegations that are just preposterous."

So far, so good.

"Would you clear those up for me? Because I'm having a hard time _not_ bashing your head into the wall right now."

Okay, maybe my anger was arising a little too quickly. If he didn't clear things up, and fast, I would probably end up doing something that would get me locked up.

Mr. Hikari leaned forward and smirked. "Gladly."

Now I was creeped out. My heartbeat increased as I struggled to stay calm.

"When Sora asked me if I ever laid a finger on my daughter, I was astounded that a question like that would even come up. Let me tell you something, Ventus. I love my daughter, but she is hurting. She weaves her way into people's hearts, and then destroys them. It took me a long time to realize that Kairi needed professional help."

"What are you saying?"

This guy was full of shit… he had to be…

"I firmly believe that she is taking you for granted, Ventus. My daughter was diagnosed as a pathological liar at only fifteen. Her mother and I tried everything in our power to help her, but Kairi doesn't have the emotional capacity. Her brain is wired differently, and because of that, she cannot feel remorse for what she does. She lies and lies, and it's all for her own benefit."

No…

I shook my head, biting my lip as I listened to his outlandish words. I didn't know who was telling the truth, and it was giving me a headache. None of this made any sense to me.

"I have proof of her visits, at least, through multiple receipts to the rehabilitation center. Sessions were strictly confidential, but through obligation, the psychiatrist felt it was necessary to tell her mother and I her diagnosis since she was a minor."

"You're lying. It's not true!" I yelled, jumping to my feet and putting one hand on my gun. Mr. Hikari realized right away that I had one and threw his arms in the air.

"Let me show you the receipts. You're letting your feelings cloud your judgment, just as Sora had done," he said, rising from his chair and slowly backing out of the room.

I didn't know what to believe anymore…

Why can't _anything_ ever go right?!

Was I just weak? Was I being fooled by this man too?

Mr. Hikari came back with a stack of papers and handed them over to me. Taking some deep breaths, I snatched them out of his hand and watched him from the corner of my eye as he went to sit back down.

Dr. Riley. Patient, Kairi Hikari. Every few pages, her age increased up until age twenty. There were multiple prescriptions over the years, as well as outrages balances. The proof was in my hands, but there was no way of knowing what went on during these sessions. They could have been about anything.

Then, I saw it. Age fifteen: Kairi was diagnosed as a pathological liar.

I didn't know that was an actual diagnosis.

Were these documents real?!

Astounded, my mouth gaped open. I had nothing to say to Mr. Hikari as he quietly waited for me to ask more questions. He seemed like he was being pretty honest, but I just… wasn't sure…

This was really hard to take in. Was everything Kairi told me up until now… a lie?

Falling back on the couch with the papers still in my hands, I still couldn't process what was in front of me. I came here for answers, but if I wasn't willing to accept them, then what was the point…?

"Do you see, now? Her mother can tell you the same thing."

"Her mother…" I repeated, "She never left, did she?"

"Of course not," Mr. Hikari answered casually, as if he had heard this before. "My wife works long hours at the hospital, even though she doesn't have to. If you'd like to meet her, stay a little longer. She'll be home in about an hour."

No… he's a monster. He's the liar…

He hurt my Kairi…

"I'm willing to answer any other questions that you have. I don't want us to get off on the wrong foot, especially when I have a grandchild on the way."

"You will _never _see him," I scowled. "The things you've done to Kairi…"

My heart was pounding. I was a mixture of terrified and furious, and I could barely control myself anymore. As much as I wanted to calm down and think about all of this, I couldn't. Pulling out the letter that Kairi found on her bed that day, I showed it to him.

"Making threats, huh?"

"This is not my handwriting. If you'd like, I have some samples of my writing you can compare with."

"Show me."

And that he did. His writing style was completely different; so different in fact, that it would have been stupid to assume that he wrote this. He wrote in all cursive, a lot smaller than the writing on this page, and he had multiple documents to back it up.

"If it helps, Kairi is ambidextrous."

…fucking… liar…

Walking. Walking might help…

"Let me see Kairi's room," I said, coming across as more of an order than anything.

"If that will help you understand. Ventus, I'm telling you. I never—"

"Shut up and let me see it!" I yelled, rising once again.

Kairi…

If all of this is true… if you're planning to hurt me…

Mr. Hikari led me upstairs. Kairi's room was on the left. I kept my eye on him as I stepped inside. It was spotless, but that made sense because Kairi was forced to clean all the time or she would get hit. Her bed was neatly made with a pink comforter and matching pillows. There was nothing on the floor, and the mirror on top of her drawer had no markings whatsoever. I opened her closet. Some older clothes were in there that she must have left behind, but other than that, it was fairly empty.

It almost seemed as if this room had been cleaned out, but I couldn't draw any other conclusions. However, it did allow me to calm down a little. Mr. Hikari waited at the doorway.

"Kairi runs away all the time, but she always finds her way back here."

"Oh, I thought you just didn't care that you daughter was missing for nearly three months."

"Of course we cared, but we had no idea on where to look. We had no idea who you were, and Sora wasn't exactly going to tell us because of these crazy accusations against me," Mr. Hikari's voice rose, and I immediately got defensive. "I love my daughter with all my heart, but I have stopped denying that she is sick. It doesn't matter what you do, Ventus, Kairi _doesn't_ care. She may act sweet and loving, but in the back of her mind, she can't wait to plan her next move. I can already see it. She's got you wrapped around her tiny finger…"

"Shut it! I control my own actions, nobody else!"

I was ready to jump him, but something was holding me back.

"I worry for you, Ventus. Please, stop… for your own sake…"

"Who are you to care what I do with my life? I love Kairi, and nothing will change that!" I yelled, marching right past him. "You stay away from us, you hear?!"

I sped down the road.

o-o-o

I was absolutely furious. There was one person that could calm me down, and he was currently working.

I didn't care.

Heading into the thrift shop, my brother noticed my demeanor immediately.

"Hey, I'm going on break," he told his coworker, putting a _closed_ sign on his register. I went straight to the back of the building, where there was a door that led to outside. Vanitas hurried after me.

"He's a liar. He's a fucking liar, and I just wanted to _kill _him!" I yelled.

"Whoa, who?! Let me help, at least!" Vanitas said, waiting for some sort of explanation, but all I could do right now was vent my frustration to him.

"Kairi's father. He's a despicable human being and needs to be locked up!"

"I'll say. Wait, what did he do?"

Oh yeah. I never told Vanitas about him. Taking a few deep breaths, I plopped onto the cement. Someone was about to come out here, but Vanitas shooed them away and then gave me his full attention.

"What happened, man?!"

"I went to her parent's house. Mr. Hikari, her father, told me that Kairi was a pathological liar and that she used to go to therapy for it… but I don't believe a word he says. He is an abusive manipulator, and he was probably referring to himself."

"I'm not following."

"He used to abuse Kairi when she was younger… physically, and… sexually," I cringed at the thought. Vanitas winced. "And now he's telling me that he never did that? What a fucking… liar…"

"Those kind of people are good at getting you on their side and making everyone else look bad."

"You're right, and that's why I don't believe a word he fucking says. Kairi loves me. She wouldn't lie to me!"

"Are you sure about that?" Vanitas asked, throwing me off. I gave him an astounded look.

"What?"

"I mean, can you ever really trust anyone?"

"Van, Kairi's not like the people that you know. Kairi is kind, caring and wants to have this child. She wants to give this child a better life than she had, and I want to be the one that helps her with that."

"Excuse me, not _all _the people that I know are bad. You, mom, dad and Lilah are the only people that I trust in this world. Who knows? Kairi could be lying, or she may not be. You won't know unless you ask her."

"But if she's a pathological liar, she'll never tell me the truth. I've already asked her, and she told me I could trust her, so I'm going to…"

"See? Stop assuming shit and take it up with her. I can only tell you speculations… except…"

"Except?" I looked over at him.

"Lilah said something that disturbed me today after you left."

I waited for him to continue.

"I got mad at her, and she basically begged me not to pop her in her mouth. Like, why would she even think I would do something like that?"

Oh no… I never told him what Kairi did…

But I also didn't want to put a strain on their relationship. Kairi seemed like she was truly sorry for hitting Lilah…

"It's just so weird. I've never hit her in my life…" Vanitas went on. "That shit is fucked up."

"I…" I spoke up, tightening my fists, "I may have accidentally… gotten upset and hit her."

I was taking the blame for Kairi's sake.

"You… did what?" Vanitas glared at me. I couldn't answer. I was so stressed out right now, that coming up with something to appease him was pointless.

"Listen, I'm sorry. It will never happen again."

Vanitas rose and slammed the back door shut, making sure to lock it so that I couldn't get back in unless I went around to the front again. I felt even worse than I already did, if that was even possible. I came here to vent, and I only made him hate me.

But I would rather it be me than Kairi. I wanted my family to like her.

Vanitas will forgive me eventually.

o-o-o

Upon arriving home, I found Kairi cooking some dinner in the kitchen.

"You were gone for a long time. Where did you go, and why did you come back empty handed?" Kairi asked.

"Shut up and come here," I said, immediately wrapping her into my arms and kissing her so passionately that she nearly stumbled over. I turned off the oven with one hand as I cupped her tender breast with the other, then pushed her up against the counter as I continued to caress her. I kissed all over her neck, trying to control my desires for her and forget about the worries of the day. Kairi let out a soft moan, completely giving in to me.

Everyone else was lying. Everyone else was lying. What Kairi and I have was special, and nobody could change that.

"Oh, _Ven…_ I love… you…" Kairi gasped as I pressed up against her; my body begging to be one with hers as I forcefully, but _mindfully_, brought her into my room and laid her on her back. Climbing over her, I lifted her chin and left wet kisses up and down her neck, trailing to her collarbone and ultimately, her exposed breast.

"Kairi, you'll never leave me, right?" I asked, nearly breathless as I traveled back up and looked desperately into her glittery eyes. She shook her head slowly, placing her warm hand on my cheek as she looked back up at me.

What in the world have I become? Was it true? Did Kairi really have that strong of a hold on me…?

Everything I did was for her… the new job, taking the blame, putting myself in danger…

If Kairi was just using me… if she truly _didn't_ care about me…

I wasn't going to accept it…

Lifting myself away from her, I sat on the edge of the bed and buried my face in my hands. I was ready to rip my hair out over this. A moment later, Kairi sat up, hugging me from behind as she kissed my neck softly.

"Tell me what's wrong, baby," she whispered into my ear, sending tingles through me.

"My brother is really upset with me."

"How come?" Kairi asked, rubbing my back tenderly and calming my nerves a little.

"I told him that I was the one that hit Lilah."

Kairi stopped touching me and moved over to the right side of me. "Why?"

"Because I love you and I truly believe that you're sorry."

"You really didn't have to do that. I was thinking about telling him myself and apologizing."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I hate myself for doing that."

"Well, don't worry about it," I said, pulling her closer to me. "Kairi, I'll always be here for you. Whenever you need something, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Okay. Thank you, Ven."

My lip quivered as I tried to hold back my tears.

"I need to be alone for a little while, if you don't mind. I just want to get my thoughts together."

"You can talk to me," Kairi said anxiously.

"I will soon. Just let me sort it out, first, okay?"

Kairi nodded and got up. "Alright. If you're hungry, there are hotdogs and macaroni."

"Thanks."

Just before Kairi was about to leave the room, I got a call.

Guess who?

Kairi waited at the door for a moment, watching me suspiciously. I played it cool and put the phone to my ear.

"Yeah?"

"Mr. Ishida? Are you busy?" Sora's anxious voice asked on the other line.

"No. What do you want?"

"Could you meet me at the park in twenty minutes? I have some more things to tell you. Oh, and make sure Kairi doesn't find out."

"Why should I?"

He didn't answer. I hung up. Kairi was trembling in the doorway.

"That was Sora, wasn't it?" She asked.

"Kairi, stay here. I'm going to go and see what he wants," I told her as I went past her.

"No! You can't! All he's going to do is make shit up! I know everything, Ven! I know how he's working for my father, I know that he wants to bring me down by any means possible… I'm telling you, you _can't_ go!" Her eyes were glossy with tears, and I didn't think it was just from the pregnancy symptoms.

Why was she _so_ upset? Stopping in front of the door, I turned.

"Let me do this, Kairi, and I'll never question your motives again. Please. I love you."

"Ven, _stop!_"

Kairi fell to her knees as I walked out the door.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** Writing this chapter pissed me off. I was feeling what Ven was feeling, and I hope you were too as you were reading it. XD This is the beginning of the end, folks, and I may be a little too excited. I'm not rushing anything; don't worry. Please, find it in yourselves to leave a **review**, like always, and I'll have the next chapter out soon.

Also, any criticism in these next few chapters will help a lot when I do the rewrite for the book.

Thanks!


	27. Twenty Seven

**a/N:** I know what you're thinking. "Really?! ANOTHER update?!" Lol. I told you. I'm freaking excited. I woke up at five in the morning to finish this chapter.

Enjoy…

o-o-o

**Twenty Seven.**

o-o-o

I decided to walk.

My hands were buried into my pockets as I strolled down the street. I had no idea what to expect when I got there, or if Sora would even be alone. Regardless, I made sure to bring my gun.

I didn't know how much crazier this day could get.

Although I felt bad for leaving Kairi at home, this was something that I had to do. She basically broke down in the doorway as I left, for reasons I could not fathom.

Walking really helped me calm down.

After about ten minutes, I arrived. Sora was waiting at a park bench on the opposite side, under the only light in the area. His head was down as he hunched over, only looking up when he heard my footsteps.

"Thanks for coming," he said. I crossed my arms.

"Alright, what do you want? Make it quick. Kairi is waiting for me at home."

Sora's lips pursed together as he stood, taking a few steps past me and out into the middle of the grass.

"You're not going to like what I'm about to say."

"I haven't liked anything that has come out of your mouth in the last few months."

Sora stalled for a moment, swaying back and forth a few times as he gathered his thoughts. "Mr. Ishida, I can't just sit by and let Kairi ruin your life. I still look up to you, whether you believe me or not. I called you here today, because… because I'm afraid. I'm afraid of what lengths Kairi will go to keep you… and you don't deserve to be played."

"Stop beating around the bush."

"I've been texting Kairi some hateful things lately. I got upset with her once again, and in that whole process, I found out something that I had suspected all along. Ven, I honestly don't think that you two ever slept together in the first place. You said you didn't want to be there, _and_ that you didn't remember most of it, right?"

"Yeah, so what? How would she get pregnant then?"

"It's simple; by someone else."

This was maddening.

"Hear me out. This is all just speculation, but I have good reasoning behind it," Sora pleaded. "When Kairi and I were texting back and forth, she made this threat that really sunk in. If you want to see my phone, I have the proof, but let me explain. Kairi told me she had ways to get me drugged and murdered, and then tossed into an alley somewhere. Although I didn't really take it too seriously, I wondered something. What if _you _were drugged?"

"That's crazy. My friend offered me the drink. It may have had pretty strong liquor in there, but certainly no drugs."

"But how would you know? You passed out, didn't you?"

I remembered telling him that particular detail out of desperation.

"All I'm saying is… what if you two never had sex at all?"

"What if this, what if that. Stop with these stupid scenarios that make no sense. Kairi told me that there was no one else that could possibly be the father."

"…but what if there was?" Sora asked carefully.

"Who? You?"

"Definitely not me, unless she drugged me too."

"I was _not _drugged!"

"Truthfully, Mr. Ishida, Kairi and I haven't done anything in the past two years. She never let me. That was when I started to suspect that she was cheating."

"Yeah, yeah. With Riku. I know."

Sora didn't say a word as he stared at me, shifting his eyebrows up slowly.

No. Fuck no.

When Riku admitted that he and Kairi had multiple sexual relations to me, it was only a ploy to get me to confess to Sora. I've been down that road, and I've already deemed those statements untrue.

However, now that I actually thought about it, Kairi _was _a little nervous around Riku all the time. She would always deny his invitations, and even when he was close to seeing the very first ultrasound results, she freaked out. At the time, I figured she just didn't want anyone to know that she was pregnant… but now…

Also, Kairi _accidentally_ said his name when she recalled a presumably _good _memory…

GAH! What the hell was the truth?!

I was piecing everything together, but I was falling apart in the process.

"Maybe my suspicions were right all along," Sora called out to me. "I had wasted my life trying to make Kairi's better, but all she wanted to do was hurt me. It doesn't make any sense, but I feel so stupid for falling for her tricks. Maybe Kairi and Riku—"

He stopped mid-sentence, and I wasn't sure why.

An engine wailed, ripping across the pavement and into the grass. Bright headlights impaired our vision, and my immediate reaction was to dart in the opposite direction as a car flew toward us. Landing on the ground, I ducked behind the bench and hoped that I was safe, but I had no idea where Sora was.

I didn't have to wait long to find out.

I heard the cackling of glass, followed by a loud shriek as the car collided with a tree. Slowly rising from my spot, I stumbled halfway down the sidewalk, astounded by what I was seeing. A deafening cry for help echoed throughout the park, and I found myself racing to the scene.

My mouth gaped open as every single thought faded away and I locked myself in this moment.

It was _my _car, and Kairi was inside, fighting off the air bag as she cried out in sheer pain. Sora's arm lay flat on the ground around the front of it. Upon getting closer, my eyes widened at the revelation that he was possibly…

"Help! Help me!" Kairi screamed, managing to swing open the car door. I could hardly move; I was too much in shock to even think straight. I could see most of Sora's body now, lifeless in between the car and the tree.

I could hear her, but I couldn't process it.

…What… just… happened?

"Ven! Ven, _please_! The baby! It's coming!" Kairi cried, clutching her stomach as she fell out of the car and onto the grass. "It hurts! HELP!"

The… baby?

Her words suddenly clicked, and I darted toward her. Kairi only screamed louder as labor made its inevitable entrance. As I helped her up, I realized that I was more worried about the baby now than anything. She struggled to stand as I pulled out my phone and called for an ambulance.

"I'm at Liberty Park," I said in between breaths. Kairi dragged her feet, and I considered leaving her here for the paramedics, but I couldn't. "A guy was hit by a car… and my… this girl has gone into labor…"

I couldn't even say _my girlfriend_. I wanted to choke the life out of her…

Kairi just…

"Ven, it _really_ hurts!"

This girl just tried to kill someone. I couldn't say anything to her as she continued to clutch her stomach.

Maybe Sora was right. Maybe I was a fool.

o-o-o

I had originally planned to be there every single moment of labor, but I couldn't even bring myself to go into that room. I sat on a chair right outside, listening to her scream at the top of her lungs as the nurses told her to push.

"Dude, I got here as fast as I could!" Vanitas appeared, but it hardly snapped me out of my reverie. All I could think about was the fact that Sora was possibly dead, and that it was at the hands of a girl that I thought I loved.

She was the monster…

"What the hell happened?!"

"Vanitas…" I said dryly, unable to lift my head up. He waited for me to say something—anything, but it wasn't coming out. Kairi only got louder. Time stood still as everything meshed together, throwing me into a state of utter sadness.

Today should have been the happiest day of my life, and now all I could do was question my very existence.

Even if Kairi wasn't a liar, she was a fucking psycho.

"Pull yourself together!"

A flash of blonde hair and a bright smile pierced through my mind. Not _now_, Namine. I don't need you to remind me how stupid I am.

But she wouldn't go away.

Why? Why was I seeing _Namine_ now, of all times? I shook the thoughts away, trying so hard to deal with the pain that was taking over. Everything had come crashing down—_literally_, I guess.

I really thought I was in love with someone that truly felt the same. I must have been wrong. Vanitas tried to reason with me, but I couldn't hear what he was saying. My mind went blank. I was glad that he was here, at least, because taking all of this by myself probably would have detonated something inside of me that was begging to be released…

As reality set back in, the constant torment of labor was reduced to a small, high-pitched crying sound. Vanitas looked through the small, glass window on the door.

"Ven, he's here."

o-o-o

On October 24th, 2015 at 8:32p.m., Ryohei was born.

I wasn't able to see him right away. They said he was having trouble breathing, due to being premature, but that we didn't have to worry. I was repulsed to be even in the same room with her. Vanitas paced back and forth.

"Someone needs to explain what's going on, right fucking now."

For the first time in hours, I looked in Kairi's direction. She was staring at the ceiling, taking deep breaths.

She sickened me. I seriously felt like throwing up at the sight of her. I didn't care how she felt after delivering a baby. I wanted answers, and I wanted them now. Ignoring my brother's plea for clarity, I dragged myself over to her bedside, still maintaining my distance.

"What in the fucking world is wrong with you?"

Kairi looked over at me, but didn't say a word.

"Answer me! Sora is probably _dead_ right now, all because of you!"

"Whoa," Vanitas said in the background.

This was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. Instead, I just wanted to disappear.

"I told you, he's nothing but—" Kairi spoke, but I cut her off immediately.

"No, Kairi. No. _You're _the liar. You're nothing but a crazy bitch, and you've been using me this entire time, haven't you? What I want to know is—why?!"

"I haven't. I love you."

"Don't give me that bullshit!" She flinched as my words ringed in her ears. I had never felt so angry in my life. Vanitas stepped in, blocking me from strangling her with the IV cord.

Yes, folks. I was going insane.

"I'm not the father, am I?"

"Of course you are!"

"Tell me the fucking truth for once!" I screamed, but she didn't make a sound. Her face was void of emotion, and I was wondering if she even had a heart. Everything that Sora and her father had told me was coming to fruition, and I couldn't take anymore. Vanitas escorted me out of the room, but I pushed him away. I sat in the hallway once more, tears itching to come out.

Everything had been a lie.

_Everything_.

"Damn, if I had even the slightest idea as to how crazy she was, I would have told you right away," Vanitas said as he sat next to me. I covered my mouth my one hand as I desperately tried to hold back a mental breakdown.

"She fooled us all, Van."

o-o-o

I had probably been staring at the same tile for hours. The circles under my eyes were becoming noticeable, and my brother didn't hesitate to point out that I may have needed to lay down for a while. A quarter after midnight, the nurse came down the hallway, cradling a baby boy in her arms. He was quiet as can be. A wad of light, red hair covered his small head and he was so little that it made me wonder what all that extra space was for in Kairi's belly.

Maybe she was just fat.

No. She's not going to be a part of my life anymore. She could go fuck herself.

"Here he is," the nurse said, smiling warmly. "We were able to control the breathing. He is doing just fine. Four pounds, five ounces. He's a little underweight, but that can be fixed."

"T-Thank you so much…"

Those tears that wanted to come out earlier, did, but in the form of joy. As soon as the nurse handed him to me, an influx of emotions paraded me all at once. I was immediately attached, and everything that had happened up until now didn't matter. What really mattered now was this child.

…Whether he was mine or not. Holding him in my arms for the very first time made me realize this.

"Ven, I want to see him," Kairi said from the room, but I ignored her.

It was amazing how quickly love could turn to hate, then immediately back to love again. Facing the nurse, I asked, "How soon may I take a paternity test?"

"Ven, let me see him!"

"We can get one right now, if you like. We just have to swab the inside of your mouth, along with the child's."

"Let's do that."

"Let me get the supplies," she said, a little wary that I was basically denying the mother her child. She was probably going to report me to the police, but thankfully, I already reported her. I let Vanitas hold Ryo as she took my DNA and put it into a little bag. Although I had already decided, it still would be nice to know.

"Wow, this is my nephew, huh? Hey, little guy," Vanitas said. Ryo tried to wrap his tiny hand around his finger, causing us both to chuckle.

"Yeah. He is."

And just like that, an officer came knocking. I didn't let go of the child as a few walked into the delivery room. Kairi went pale as they circled her bedside, helpless from the after effects of having a baby.

"Kairi Hikari, you are under arrest for attempted murder in the first degree. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You will be taken to prison to await trial as soon as you are released from the hospital. You will not be allowed to go anywhere near the child."

"What?! No way! You can't keep me away from my baby! That guy is kidnapping him! He raped me and he just wants that baby for himself! VEN!"

Wow, lying until the end.

Going out into the hallway to avoid all of the racket, Vanitas and I were approached by a nurse.

"Sora is still undergoing emergency surgery. They are trying everything they possibly can to stabilize his condition. He has internal bleeding and some broken ribs, and we really don't know if he can recover, but we will do our absolute best."

Holding Ryo in my arms was all that I needed right now. I honestly hoped that Sora would be okay, but all I wanted to do was focus on my newborn son.

He was so perfect.

After the nurse left, Vanitas and I walked up and down the hallway. I could not stop looking at this child.

"So, Kairi really was crazy this entire time, huh?"

"I guess so."

I didn't even care anymore. I was done, and I wanted absolutely nothing to do with her. I smiled at Ryo, letting him hold onto my finger. My eyes watered once more. There was no way that I was giving this child up. He didn't deserve such despicable parents.

"Now you know how I feel," Vanitas said. "Every time I look into Lilah's eyes."

"I certainly do."

Vanitas gave me a wary look. "So, if he's not yours, what will you do?"

"He's mine. That's all there is to it."

"But what if he—"

Vanitas was cut off by a nurse saying my name. We looked up at her as she caught up to us.

"I have the results to the paternity test."

I didn't want to let go of Ryo, so she handed them to my brother and walked off. I noticed her sympathetic expression, and immediately knew. As he opened the paper and read the result to himself, I kept my eyes locked downward, touching Ryo's soft cheek with one finger.

"Ven, I'm so sorry, man."

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** I'm going to cry right now. I'm updating this quickly, so please, let me know what you think. I originally wasn't going to update until tomorrow.

Two chapters left, guys.


	28. Twenty Eight

**A/N:** This is the final chapter, and then there will be an epilogue.

Sigh.

I would like to thank EVERYONE that took the time to review throughout the story. You guys mean so much to me. Also, the views just reached over 6,000. Thank you all so much for supporting this fic, even if it wasn't a canon pairing.

I may need to change my screen name… XD

jk. Sokai4lyfe

Also, this is merely a first draft. I will probably start rewriting it right away, and then figure out the procedures on how to get published after it has been extensively edited. Do look out on my profile for when that day comes. I don't know how long it will take to get published, but I am determined!

I'll definitely be changing the title. This title came from the song, and it's Kairi's main song. By the way, have you **checked out the playlist?**

Enjoy the final, full length chapter!

o-o-o

**Twenty Eight.**

o-o-o

I now believed in love at first sight.

Ryo and I were able to move to another room while Kairi remained on bedrest. They had to strap her down to prevent her from getting out of bed and coming after us, because apparently that would put a lot of strain on her body. Police checked on her every now and then, and I couldn't wait to see her behind bars for what she had done.

I wanted absolutely nothing to do with her.

I watched Ryo sleep. Even though he wasn't biologically mine, it felt like he was. I had been there from the very beginning, and in my heart, I just knew that I couldn't give him up. Unfortunately for me, I was not allowed to keep him, though. Only Kairi's immediate family would be able to take him, since she could not and the biological father had not come forward.

In other words, it was a bunch of bullshit.

Ryo started crying once again. I carefully cradled him in my arms and tried to calm him down, but while I was doing this, tears were starting to emerge. I wasn't sure if they were because I was happy to be with him, or because I was sad that he would be taken away from me.

I loved this child.

I guess that Kairi's parents were the innocent ones. I no longer believed that Mr. Hikari did anything to her. Maybe he was capable of taking care of Ryo.

…I didn't want that.

"Knock knock," Vanitas appeared in the doorway. "I brought some grub."

"Thanks, but I'm not hungry."

"I am. By the way, mom, dad and Lilah will be here in a few hours. You should get some sleep. It's nearly six in the morning."

I shook my head. "No. I want to spend as much time as I can with my son."

Vanitas sat on the couch. "How long do you have with him?"

"I don't know, I guess as long as it takes for her parents to get here."

Ryo stopped crying, but I was starting to. Vanitas just watched with sympathetic eyes as I set Ryo back into his little bed and stood over him.

"Hey! Remember what I was saying before?"

"What?"

"About getting full custody. Kairi's parents are too old to care for a newborn, aren't they?"

"They're not _that _old."

"What I'm saying is, what if you asked them if you could adopt Ryo? They can still have grandparent rights and shit, but it's worth a shot. Kairi lied about the abuse, didn't she?"

"Presumably."

You know, Namine and I _were_ looking to adopt. Was that why I started seeing her again?

"So, ask them!"

"It's probably not that simple."

"I'm going to punch you in the freaking face if you don't try."

A smile appeared on my face. I truly appreciated my brother. He never ceased to amaze me, and I didn't know what I would do without him. He dropped everything as soon as he got my frantic phone call, despite being upset with me about supposedly hitting his daughter. I think he knew that I was covering for her once he calmed down, especially after hearing what Kairi did to Sora.

Maybe he was right. Maybe it was worth a shot.

"So, what food did you get?"

o-o-o

At a quarter to ten, Lilah and my parents arrived. I had only gotten an hour of sleep.

"Is this my cousin?" Lilah asked, climbing onto the couch next to me as I held Ryo in my arms. "Why is he so little and ugly?"

"Lilah!" My mother scolded.

"Lilah, you were ugly when you were first born too," Vanitas said.

"I was a beautiful baby!"

"Yeah, after about a month."

My mom didn't ask to hold him. She just kept sending me worried looks, but I tried not to pay attention to them. She was right all along. I should have never trusted Kairi, but if I didn't, I wouldn't be holding four pounds and five ounces of perfection in my arms right now.

I guess there was a silver lining in everything.

"I hope that you can keep him," my dad said, reminding me of the inevitable. I was about to respond when I heard a knock at the door. Vanitas went to answer it.

In walked Mr. Hikari, and a woman that was obviously Mrs. Hikari. She had pale skin and soft features, and her short, red hair curled on the ends. Not letting go of Ryo, I stood and didn't say a word. Mrs. Hikari cried at the sight of him putting her arms out to hold him.

I had no choice. Handing him over, I struggled to keep myself together as her parents held their newborn grandson in their arms. Vanitas escorted Lilah and my parents out of the room while they did this.

"What's his name?" Mrs. Hikari asked, teary-eyed.

"Ryohei."

Mr. Hikari kept glancing back and forth. I knew that he could tell how torn up I was about this, but I wasn't exactly hiding it either. I stood with my hands in my pockets and my eyes lowered to the floor, just waiting for them to walk out of my life with him.

"We saw Kairi," he said finally. "The police informed us on what happened."

I shrugged. "I'm sorry for not believing you, and being so disrespectful toward you in your own home."

"You thought you had a valid reason, and honestly, if I were in your shoes, I would probably act the same way." Turning to his wife, he said, "Mae, come with me into the hallway."

Mrs. Hikari looked at him for a moment, and then gave Ryo back to me. A sense of relief came over me once I had him back in my arms, and I waited on the couch while Mr. and Mrs. Hikari left the room. Looking down at him, I started to talk to him, as if he could actually understand me.

"They're going to take good care of you, buddy," I said just above a whisper, running my finger along his soft cheek. "If they allow me to, I'll visit you whenever I can. You can always come to me for anything."

Ryo squirmed a little, as if he was about to cry, but didn't.

Taking a few deep breaths, I continued to get lost in the moment, slowly slipping out of reality. Although I was taking Kairi's betrayal a lot better than I would have a year or two ago, I still felt as if I was standing still. No progress had been made, and I was just incomplete.

"As far as I'm concerned, you are my son, and I love you. I hope that you will come to realize that someday."

"Ventus?" Mr. Hikari interrupted, and I suddenly snapped out of it. I wondered how long he had been standing there. Putting his arm around his upset wife, he looked down at me with a serious expression.

"We are giving him to you."

My mouth gaped open as I processed their words.

"You are obviously attached, and it wouldn't be right," Mrs. Hikari added. "This may be my first time meeting you, but I can already tell that you're a good person and you really love this child. I know you cared for my daughter more than words can explain, and for that, I thank you, even though she ended up hurting you. I'm sorry that she put you through that. However, even if it didn't mean much to her, I'm glad that she was able to cross paths with such a respectable individual. Maybe it will teach her a lesson or two. No matter what, Kairi is our daughter and we love her."

This woman didn't know a thing about me, but for the first time ever, getting praise actually had meaning other than a modest shrug of the shoulders.

"So long as we get to see him whenever we please," Mr. Hikari said, smirking.

"I… I don't know what to say…"

"Just do your best and take care of our grandson. We will continue to get Kairi the help that she needs. I have already looked into hiring a lawyer for her trial. We may be able to get her institutionalized rather than jail time, and even though it may take years, we know that someday, Kairi will be able to appreciate everything that was given to her, not only by us, but by you as well." Mrs. Hikari walked up to me. "Just let us know when you're ready to let her see him, even if it's behind a glass barrier. We won't pressure you."

Nothing could replace how amazing I felt right now. After everything that I had been through in these past nine months, possibly being able to take Ryo home with me made it all worth it in the end.

"I was going to ask you if I could adopt him, actually," I said, my face reddening a little as I wiped my tears away with one hand.

"I guess we beat you to it," Mr. Hikari responded. "As for the baby's real father, we are not sure who he is. Sora gave us an idea of who it might be, but we won't know until a paternity test is given. However, we don't think that he would want to drop everything and care for Ryo like you would."

"Riku?"

Mrs. Hikari nodded. "I've met him several times. I think he and Kairi had something going on for a while."

"Wouldn't it be a problem, legally, if Riku did want to keep him?"

"We're on your side, Ventus. Again, you won't know for sure until those results come in. If he does want the child, there's not much that we can do. If you're willing to fight it, though, we'll definitely testify against Riku in court. He's not the most responsible person. Ultimately, it comes down to who can give that child the best life that he deserves. We think that person is you, and we will definitely tell the court that."

I thought for a moment. Riku was the one with the highest possibility, but it really could be anyone, I guess. That sounded bad, but I didn't know how to make Kairi sound good anymore.

She had a _lot _of problems that even I couldn't fix.

"Thank you so much. You have no idea how much it means to me."

"I think we do," Mr. Hikari said. "By the way, Sora's probably awake now."

"He made it through surgery?"

"Yeah. He's the one that called us. He also… may have put in a good word or two for you."

Wow.

o-o-o

Ecstatic that I would possibly be able to keep Ryo, I didn't leave that hospital room until noon. Mr. and Mrs. Hikari stuck around a little longer before departing, and I was glad that they trusted me enough, even though we got off on the wrong foot from the very beginning.

"Congratulations, man!" Vanitas exclaimed, 'patting' me in the back, but instead, I nearly lost my balance. Shushing him, I pointed over to Ryo, who was sleeping soundly in his bed.

"Don't get your hopes up just yet. I still have one more thing to do before I'm absolutely sure."

Even if Riku wanted him, I wouldn't give him up. I would get arrested for kidnapping before I left this child in the hands of an idiot.

"Could you watch him for a little bit? I'm going to go and see how Sora is doing," I asked.

"Sure," my mom answered. After taking another look at Ryo, I left and went across the hospital. Sora had been moved to a room, and would probably have to stay there for a while.

I knocked on his door before entering.

The lights were off, but there was a little sunlight coming in from the window. Sora seemed to be asleep. He was covered in bandages, and his heartbeat was steady according to the monitor. His eyes shot open as I neared the bed.

"Mr. Ishida?" he said weakly, turning his head slightly.

"Hey. How are you feeling?"

"I've had better days. The doctor says I have to stay here for at least a week. I can barely move."

"I can't believe she did that."

"Better me than you," Sora said, coughing, but then wincing in pain. "It hurts so much. I've never had surgery before."

"You'll get through it," I said. "But you didn't deserve that."

"Yes I did. Maybe I needed a car to actually knock some sense into me… literally. By the way, I do hope that you can forgive me. I truly am sorry for everything that I did."

Pulling up a chair, I sat on the right side of his bed.

"You're forgiven."

Sora looked as if he didn't believe me at first, but then his facial expression softened as he looked up at the ceiling. "I'm glad."

"I'd also like to thank you."

"Huh?"

I straightened up. "I heard that you told Mr. and Mrs. Hikari about me. They're going to give me full custody of Ryo… as long as the biological father doesn't step in."

"Congratulations. I'm glad that they see what I see in you." Sora paused. "So, his name is Ryo, eh?"

"Yeah. I'll let you meet him soon, if you want. He was sleeping when I left."

"I'd like that, Mr. Ishida."

"Sora, call me Ven."

A few moments of silence went by. Sora had been through hell and back with Kairi, and I had to give him props for putting up with her for so long, even if he was being controlled the entire time.

"Hey, Ven?"

"Yeah?" I looked up.

"If you want, I can give you Riku's number. I really think that he is the father. Kairi probably went after you because she figured he wouldn't be able to take care of a child."

"And she wanted an easy way out?" I questioned. It actually made a little sense.

"It's the only reason I can think of," Sora said. "Could you get my phone? It's over on that table."

"Sure, kid."

Sora chuckled.

o-o-o

Riku's number in hand, I stood out by the hospital gardens. Ryo's picture was already the wallpaper on my phone, and I stared at it for a moment before dialing the number.

With a heavy sigh, I put the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" I tired-sounding voice answered.

"Hey, is this Riku?"

"Yeah, who is this?"

"Mr. Ishida."

I heard him shuffling around. "Um, hi. How did you get this number?"

"Sora gave it to me."

Riku was quiet for a moment. "Is he okay?"

I didn't know what he knew, or if he even knew anything. "Yeah, he was hit by a car, but he'll be able to recover. I'm calling though, because I wanted to ask you something."

Riku hesitated before responding. "Alright."

I was surprised that Riku was being so calm, even though he seemed pretty awkward about talking to me.

"When you said that you and Kairi used to do things… was that actually true?"

"Yeah."

My nerves escalated.

"Did she have the baby yet?"

"Actually, he was born last night, but he's not biologically mine."

Riku didn't say anything, so I just continued.

"Were you planning on taking a paternity test?"

"No." He answered quickly.

"What?"

"Dude, I don't want a kid. I'm only twenty-two. I'm not ready for that."

His refusal filled me with excitement. "So, so you don't—"

"Look, I may have slept with Kairi back around the time she and Sora broke up, but I regret it now, okay? I don't want to hurt Sora any more than he already is. I've done a lot of bad things, and I don't even want to go near him—or Kairi again. The best thing for me to do is to just stay out of their lives. So, no. I don't want to take care of some baby that may or may not even be mine."

I don't even think I heard half of the words he said. I was overjoyed, and now nobody could stand in between me and Ryo. Hanging up, I rushed back to the room.

"What happened?" Vanitas asked upon arrival.

"He's mine. Ryo is my son…"

o-o-o

I brought Ryo home two days later. Since I had consent from Kairi's parents, I was able to take him directly from the hospital. Mr. Hikari told me that we had to set up a court date, get an adoption attorney, and soon enough, I will have full legal rights. Kairi would be deemed unfit, and the biological father would be non-existent. Even though I thought it was Riku, there was still that possibility that it wasn't, and I didn't even want to bother.

I'm Ryo's father. Nobody else.

Caesar barked and greeted me at the door, waking him up in the process. I took Ryo to the nursery right away, where the bassinet was set up. Caesar followed and sat down, watching. Once I laid him down, he stopped. Standing over it, I realized just how proud I was to get to this point.

I didn't have the slightest clue on how to raise this child, but that didn't mean that I couldn't learn. I was going to need to stock up on formula, of course, and I was pretty sure that my family would guide me along the way. If Vanitas could get by as a single dad, then so could I.

Even though I was a little anxious, the future had never looked brighter. All of the actions that I took now would be directly related to Ryo and his well-being, and I didn't mind at all. I was excited to see where this journey would end up going. All I knew was that I had to raise him right.

And maybe someday, I'll let him meet his mother.

I wasn't sure how I felt about Kairi anymore. Even though she took advantage of me, I still had to wonder if _anything_ she said or did was genuine. If there was even an ounce of love in her heart, then maybe I would be able to forgive her… eventually.

But it wasn't likely.

As far as falling in love again, I wasn't too worried about it. If someone were to come along, then maybe, just _maybe_ I would let them in.

Whatever happens, happens. I smiled to myself as I looked down at him.

"Well, Ryo, it's just you, me and Caesar now."

_And I would be nothing without you._

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N: (7/14/15) **It's not a SoraxKairi7 story without hospital scenes. Lol.

GUYZ  
ITS OVER  
…almost

Prepare yourselves for the epilogue! I'll probably get started on it right away. Of course, it won't be very long.

**Your reviews have all been a delight to read. I love you guys, an I will get to those responses now!**

Also,  
If you're wondering why Ven was able to get custody so easily, I did that on purpose. He could never catch a break in this fic, but that was the first time something actually went right.

Please leave a **review**. The epilogue will be out soon.


	29. Epilogue

o-o-o

**Epilogue.  
**_  
Three years later._

o-o-o

I've always loved playing guitar.

"Mr. Ishida, you're such a nerd," one of my students called out, laughing along with his peers. I smirked and set my guitar aside. I had just made up an entire song for today's lesson, and I was getting mixed reviews on my performance. I bowed to the class, and then went behind my desk.

"The test is on Thursday. I will send the lyrics to your e-mails," I stated, wrapping up the last class of the day. As my students left, I heard a few of them humming the song on the way out.

Success!

Truthfully, that song sucked, but it was catchy enough to stick with them I guess, and possibly help them study. Next week, I was planning to recite one of the _Epic Rap Battles of History._

I loved being a teacher.

Being a lifeguard just wasn't for me. Every day felt like a chore, and I just couldn't wait to come back here. I lasted about a year as a permanent, but that was all I could take. I didn't even have to ask President Eraqus when I came back; he hired me as soon as I walked into his office.

I used to wonder what people saw in me, but I realized that I never really saw those things in myself until now. There were things I was good at, and teaching was one of them. That wasn't to say that I didn't have imperfections, because what human being didn't, but for the past three years, I was really starting to recognize my true potential. I worked hard to get to this point, and I wasn't about to settle for anything less, even if the pay was more.

I got a slight raise, and it was steadily going up each year.

Pulling into my driveway, I sat in my car for a moment before going inside. As soon as I opened the front door, I immediately noticed how quiet the house was.

This was weird.

"Roxas?" I called, taking a few steps toward the kitchen. Damn it, if that kid left Ryo all by himself, he was going to get a beat down. However, my suspicions were put to rest when I found him, along with Ryo and Caesar in the backyard.

Oh yeah, Roxas lived with me now so he could go to college. My mom suggested that he stay with me rather than in a dorm, since I had all of this extra space in my two-story home. Also, the fact that I was a teacher probably had something to do with it as well.

I didn't mind. I trusted him to watch my son.

…Heh.

Ryo turned three a month ago.

He was generally a pretty quiet kid. Pop-up books were his favorite things in the world, and he was the only child I knew that didn't take too much interest in a tablet. (Not that I particularly wanted him to make a habit of those things). He and Caesar were best friends and he would always be near him. I never really had many disciplinary problems, except when he was tired.

Ryo hated haircuts, though. I tried not to let his light red hair go past an inch above his shoulders, but he would always have a temper-tantrum when it was time to go. Even when I tried to cut his bangs just to keep the hair out of his eyes, it was a struggle and generally came out uneven. He then would beg me to fix it, proceeding to cry once more when I went anywhere near scissors.

He's so funny.

Stepping outside, they both saw me. Caesar darted toward me as usual, and of course, Ryo followed. Roxas stayed at the patio table, focused on a game.

"Daddy!" Ryo exclaimed, reaching so that I would pick him up. I couldn't resist, but at the same time, I was trying not to hold him so much. After giving him a big hug, I set him back onto the pavement. He ran back over to the grass, where he had a few army toys set up. He was hiding them in the grass and basically having an all-out toy war.

I may have possibly read him a few history snippets.

"Bang, bang!" Ryo said, controlling both of the toys and striking one down.

Well, don't let me get in your way.

"Roxas, are you coming with us to the park later?" I asked, taking a seat next to him and keeping my eye on Ryo. Caesar ran back over to him, knocking over one of his toys in the process.

"Hey, that wasn't nice!" Ryo scolded, but of course, Caesar didn't have a clue.

"I've already been outside today," Roxas said, emerging from his chair and stretching. "Besides, I have homework to do."

"Oh, come on. You can do it when you get back. We won't be out long."

Roxas groaned. "Fine."

o-o-o

Lilah wasn't too fond of play dates anymore.

"I'm a big girl now! I don't want to play with a three year old!"

"Girl, you are eight freaking years old. Get over yourself, and go build that sand castle before I take away your karaoke machine," Vanitas said, sitting next to me on the park bench. Lilah pouted and went over to Ryo. He handed her a toy shovel, and she reluctantly took it. Roxas was doing what he did best—ignoring everyone around him while his eyes were glued to the game in front of him.

Oh well. I tried. Focusing my attention back to the sandbox, I sighed.

"We probably should have just gone to the beach," Vanitas said. "This is boring as fuck."

"Nah. I don't want them to pressure me to come back."

Ryo was pretty good at sculpting sandcastles; something I loved to do as a kid. It was weird for him to have the same trait. As I watched, I felt more and more appreciative that he was in my life.

Well, I felt that way every day, but I digress.

"He looks a lot like his mother," I said aloud, not really meaning to.

"Lilah does too, but I choose to ignore it. Have you heard from Kairi, by the way?"

Shaking my head, I clasped my hands together. "Nope. She hasn't asked to see him once."

"Sounds like Delilah."

"Her parents keep me up-to-date every now and then, though. You know, it's really scary to think that Kairi was diagnosed as a sociopath last year."

"Whoa, it's _that _serious?"

"Yeah. She won't be getting out any time soon. I almost felt bad for her, but now I see her for what she really was. People like Kairi don't change."

"Do you think she ever really cared about you?"

"Probably not, but I'm not worried about it anymore."

Vanitas leaned back. "Wow, that's pretty crazy. Oh yeah, by the way, I heard you went on a _date_ the other night. One of the secretaries in the office, huh? That's not against the rules, is it? Is she legal, at least?""

Blushing, my face reddened a little as I straightened up. "Shut up. She's your age, and no, it's not."

"I thought you would be single forever."

"Oh, _thanks_," I said, laughing it off. "She was really nice, but I just don't see it going anywhere. There will be others."

I was about to continue when I was interrupted by someone.

"Ven! Vanitas! Sorry I'm late. I was closing a deal on this really expensive house!" Sora said as he came up to us. "I brought apple pie. Do the kids like that?"

"What the hell is this? Some kind of picnic?" Vanitas scowled, but then his eyes shifted toward the pie. "Oh, you said it was apple?"

"I want pie!" Lilah exclaimed, running toward us as if she had outstanding hearing abilities. Ryo followed closely behind, but obviously he wasn't as fast as she was. He climbed up on the bench next to me and watched as Lilah and Vanitas were each given slices. He wasn't very used to Sora yet, so he stayed close.

"Ryo, would you like a piece?" Sora asked, but he just buried his head in my shirt.

"Hey, don't be shy. I know you want some." Ryo looked up at me and nodded, still holding on tightly. Sora handed him a plate and a plastic fork. After a moment, Ryo took it and started eating.

"He's getting big," Sora mentioned as he cut a slice for Roxas, who had barely noticed his presence, but happily accepted the free food.

Sora had continued to work under Mr. Hikari. Real Estate seemed to be his thing, or so he says. Regardless, I was proud of him for taking the initiative in his own life instead once again.

Mr. and Mrs. Hikari had full grandparent rights, and saw Ryo often. I didn't mind taking him over there, and I actually found Kairi's parents to be pretty decent people. Although I was still surprised, yet confused that they would hand Ryo over to me just like that, I wasn't complaining. Whatever went wrong in Kairi's life, whether it be bullying or something else, ultimately affected her mentality, but it definitely had nothing to do with them. When I heard her diagnosis, everything made sense. Kairi felt no remorse for her actions, and Sora confirmed this with multiple visits in the past few years.

She just didn't care.

It was really quite sad. I actually felt something for her at one point. I guessed that was the power of a sociopath.

As for Riku, I heard that he moved away from the islands, but that was all I knew.

"God, we're like a single mom's club, but for dads," Vanitas said as he scarfed down his plate. "How did it come to this?"

Leaning against the park bench with my arm around Ryo, I shrugged.

"Daddy, you're not single! What about Miss Helena?" Lilah blurted out, her mouth full of pie contents.

"Oh, what is _this_, now?"

"Her science teacher and I had a little chemistry and now Lilah thinks she's going to be her new mommy."

"Whoa."

"You kissed her! I saw it!" Lilah added. Vanitas turned his head away.

"Good for you," I said, laughing. Sora sat on the pavement and listened to us.

"I guess I'll be social," Roxas said, sitting cross-legged next to him. "What's the topic?"

"Nothing. Start a new one," he grunted.

"Daddy, I don't like this part." Ryo set his plate on my lap. Only the crust remained, and I wasn't the least bit surprised. "You can have it."

"Well, thank you."

"Can I go play in the sandbox again?"

"Sure, kiddo. Lilah, go with him."

Lilah whined once more, but due to her father's intimidating presence, she obliged.

"Oh, hey, I left something in the car. I'll be right back," I told them, rising from my seat. As I made my way over to the parking lot, I heard the loud sounds of a baby crying coming from the SUV next to mine. A woman was desperately trying to calm him down. As I opened my car door, I looked back for a moment, but I decided to mind my own business.

"No, no, Xander, stop… please stop crying…" The woman begged, but it wasn't working. After retrieving my camera, I shut the door and locked it. She sighed and let out a frustrated sigh, which was just overshadowed by even louder crying.

"Is everything alright?" I asked. The baby was in the car seat, squirming. She looked at me and tried to play it off with a frantic nod and a weak smile.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Xander, my nephew, wants to stay longer but I have to go. However, I can't drive with him crying so much. He's been nonstop since I put him in the car."

I titled my head to inspect. "Maybe he's uncomfortable in the seat?"

She blinked a few times, and then turned to adjust it. I could definitely relate to her stress. After she undid the straps and redid them to just an inch looser, but still safe enough, he quieted down a little. She handed him a bottle, and he was set. She stepped away for a moment, watching in awe as Xander sipped away.

"Wow, thank you so much," she said, holding her hand out. "I'm Rachel."

"Ven," I said, shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you." As our hands parted, I felt a strange tingling inside.

"You really saved the day, Ven. I have to get going, but maybe I'll see you around? I come here a lot with Xander."

"Yeah, definitely." I smiled. She smiled back and got into her car.

She was cute.

As she drove off, I started making my way back over to the others.

"Dude, who was that?" Vanitas asked right away, just as expected. I shrugged.

"Possibly a new friend."

"Ohh," Sora teased, tossing the plates into the trash can nearby.

"Uncle Ven, you were totally checking her out, I bet!" Lilah said. My face reddened once more, but I couldn't deny the fact that I may have been doing just that. My attention was diverted quickly to my son, who tugged on my shirt.

"I want to go home now," he said, rubbing his eyes.

We all said our goodbyes. I held onto Ryo's hand as we walked. Getting my camera wasn't completely pointless, at least. As I strapped him into his seat, I pictured Rachel's face in my mind for a moment. A smile crept up on me, and I couldn't help but feel good—not only about today, but about life in general. I liked the way things turned out, not only for myself, but for those around me as well.

Life didn't stop after the death of a loved one; it only ignited, and I was along for the ride.

o-o-o  
o-o-o

**A/N:** This turned out to be longer than expected. That's it, guys. The first draft to this story is complete. I cannot thank you guys enough for sticking with it until the end, and I am definitely not going to let you down when it comes to getting this published. Just remember, that you had the privilege of reading the very first draft on fanfiction ;D I hope I can make Kristian's character as awesome as Ven.

Please leave one final **review**. Any and all constructive criticism will help tremendously in the rewrite.

As for Heart Station, I may complete it before I retire. I also did not forget about the oneshot I promised to **MusicalSage**. It will also be out before then.

Also, check out that word count.

Thanks everyone!


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